We want to make sure everyone in South Gloucestershire has enough food to feed their family.

We provide emergency food payments for anyone struggling or in crisis. If you have children we can help you apply for free school meals and the NHS Healthy Start payment card scheme for new parents. And we fund free activity and food clubs during school holidays. Please scroll down this page for further information.

Financial help to buy food

Find out about how to get an emergency food payment from the Household Support fund.

Household support fund

Support from community organisations 

The South Gloucestershire directory lists local groups and organisations that can help you to access free or low-cost food. These include food banks, community fridges, community cafes and food clubs food support directory. 

 Food Support directory

Foodbanks work using a voucher referral system.  

Please contact Citizens Advice or visit one of our One Stop Shops to be referred. Our customer care officers will speak to you in confidence. If you would like to talk to us call our freephone helpline 0800 953 7778.  

Opening times: 

• 8.45am to 5pm Monday to Thursday 
• 8.45am to 4.30pm Friday 

Support with feeding your children 

Healthy Start Scheme 

Eligible families can get a Healthy Start payment card to use in some UK shops. This can then be spent on milk, fresh, frozen, and tinned fruit and vegetables and infant formula milk and free vitamins.  

Healthy Start website

Free school meals  

If you are eligible for free school meals you should apply for each child when they start school.  

Free School meals

 

School holiday activities and food programme 

We offer holiday activities and food clubs (also referred to as HAF) for children aged 5 to 16 years who live in South Gloucestershire. 

This programme aims to provide healthy food and enriching activities during the school holidays to children who are aged between 5 to 16 years old and receive benefits-related free school meals. 

School Holiday activity and food programme

Useful links

• Eat Well – Food affects your wellbeing. Having a balanced and varied diet helps you get everything your body needs to feel good and function well.
• Reduce Food Waste  –Save up to £60 a month by buying only what you need, storing food so it lasts longer, using up leftovers and reducing what you throw away.
• Support Local –Buying local produce doesn’t have to cost more especially if you shop smarter and use everything you purchase. Supporting independent, local traders like greengrocers and butchers helps your High Street thrive, puts money back into your community and reduces food mileage.
• Sustainable Food Places –Sustainable Food Places aim to reduce food poverty, improve access to healthy food to reduce food related ill-health and tackle loss of biodiversity, climate change and the amount of food that is wasted.