Getting enough to eat
Table of Contents
Support is available to make sure you are getting enough to eat – find information on how to get emergency food aid, Healthy Start vouchers, Free School Meals and the welfare grant scheme.
Emergency food aid
Food banks
Food banks are designed to provide short-term, emergency support with food during a crisis. If you live in South Gloucestershire these are the Foodbanks which can support you:
North Bristol Foodbank – covers Yate, Thornbury and Mangotsfield Foodbanks
UPDATE: Home deliveries only. No outlets are open for food collections.
Areas covered in South Gloucestershire for delivery: Filton, Patchway, The Stokes, Yate, Chipping Sodbury, Thornbury, Almondsbury, Frenchay, Downend, Emersons Green and Mangotsfield.
Foodbanks work using a voucher referral system. If you need a referral voucher please contact our One Stop Shops. They are only open for essential services and pre-booked appointments at this point of time. To book an appointment please email OSSAppointments@southglos.gov.uk or call 01454 868009
East Bristol Foodbank – covers Kingswood Foodbank. A Referral voucher is required. Phone 07584625082 or email ebfoodbank@inhope.uk to check opening times.
Other Foodbanks can be found by searching the map.
In Cadbury Heath, Juice Community Project can help with emergency food parcels (and shopping, prescription pick-ups). No referral is needed.
For more information please contact 01454 302302 or email: hello@juicecic.com
Advice and support
South Gloucestershire Advice Services have specialist knowledge in the areas of welfare benefit and debt advice.
You may be entitled to other types of support, such as:
- Hardship Payment (if you have been sanctioned),
- Short Term Benefit Advance (if you are awaiting your first payment of Income Support, Job Seeker’s Allowance, Employment Support Allowance)
- Universal Credit Advance (if you are awaiting your first payment of Universal Credit) or a
- Budgeting Loan.
If you are unsuccessful in obtaining any of these you may be eligible to make an application for a Welfare grant scheme. If you think you may not be receiving all the benefits you are entitled to you may find it helpful to Review your Entitlement to Benefits. You may alternatively be eligible for assistance from other schemes / charities.
Contact South Gloucestershire Advice ServiceHealthy Start Vouchers
Eligible families can get free vouchers every week to spend on milk, fresh and frozen fruit and vegetables and infant formula milk and free vitamins.
Healthy Start vouchersFree School Meals
Information about eligibility criteria for Free School Meals.
Free School MealsGetting Enough To Eat
The Getting Enough to Eat document in the download section may be helpful if you or your family do not have enough food to eat.
It contains different food options which include home delivery, telephone ordering, prepared meal delivery and other non-supermarket food delivery providers.
This summary has been produced to support individuals and families during the COVID-19 situation. The list of suppliers is not exhaustive and South Gloucestershire Council does not endorse any particular commercial product or service.
The list is in two parts, for people who:
- Can afford to buy food but are unable to go shopping
- Cannot afford to buy food and are unable to go shopping