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.

Foodbanks

Foodbanks are designed to provide short-term, emergency support with food during a crisis. Foodbanks work using a voucher referral system. Please contact Citizens Advice or One Stop Shops to be referred. To book an appointment to talk with one of our One Stop Shop advisors email: OSSAppointment@southglos.gov.uk

If you live in South Gloucestershire, these are the local Foodbanks which can support you:

North Bristol & South Gloucestershire Foodbank – covers Yate, Thornbury, Patchway and Mangotsfield Foodbanks

Please check website for up-to-date opening times:  North Bristol & South Glos Foodbank

East Bristol Foodbank

This covers Kingswood Foodbank. Check here for opening times Locations | South & East Bristol Foodbank

Phone 07584 625082 for Foodbank enquiries (please note: this phone line is monitored on a part time basis) email ebfoodbank@inhope.uk

Cadbury Heath

Juice Community Project  can help with emergency food for residents within BS30 only. No referral is needed.

Other Foodbanks can be found by searching the map.

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 Service

Healthy Start Scheme

Eligible families can get a Healthy Start card with money on it that you can 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.

Get help to buy food and milk (Healthy Start)

Free School Meals

Information about eligibility criteria for Free School Meals.

Free School Meals webpage