How to get a food voucher?

How to get a food voucher?

In order to get help from the foodbank you will need to be referred with a voucher.

Referral process

Each foodbank works with different frontline professionals, such as doctors, health visitors, social workers and the Citizens Advice, who make referrals to the foodbank using a voucher.The foodbank and referral agency use the voucher to gather some basic information. This will help them to identify the cause of the crisis, offer practical guidance and prepare suitable emergency food.

Using your voucher

Once you have been issued with a voucher, you can exchange this for a minimum of three days’ emergency food at your nearest foodbank centre.https://www.citizensadvice.org.uk/https://www.trusselltrust.org/get-help/find-a-foodbank/

Emergency Food

Trussell Trust foodbanks provide a minimum of three days’ emergency food and support to people in crisis.Foodbanks work with frontline professionals to identify people in need and issue them with a foodbank voucher. These include local organisations such as children’s centres, housing associations, welfare agencies and community mental health teams who are best placed to assess need.Once referred, clients can bring the voucher to their nearest foodbank centre where it can be exchanged for a parcel containing a minimum of three days’ nutritionally balanced food. Some foodbanks run a delivery service, which takes emergency food boxes to clients living in rural areas who cannot afford to get to a foodbank.Trussell Trust foodbanks are designed to provide short-term, emergency support with food during a crisis. Their aim is to relieve the immediate pressure of the crisis by providing food, whilst also offering solutions to help identify and resolve the underlying causes of the crisis

Get in touch with your nearest foodbank

Either by telephone or email and explain your situation. The foodbank will be able to tell you which referral agencies they work with in your area and how you can get a voucher. → Look up your nearest foodbank

Take the voucher to your nearest foodbank centre

Once at the foodbank, you will be met by trained volunteers who will sit down with you to discuss your situation and provide a food parcel.Volunteers meet clients over a warm drink or free hot meal and are able to signpost people to agencies able to solve the longer-term problem.Please note that you must have a food voucher in order to receive help from the foodbank.

The Trussell Trust is an anti-poverty charity that supports a network of over 420 foodbanks across the UK.

In 2017-2018, 1,332,952 three day emergency food supplies were provided to people referred to foodbanks in The Trussell Trust’s network, a 13% increase on the previous year. Over a third of supplies (484,026) went to children.

It takes more than food to end hunger. The Trussell Trust therefore does three things: supports its network to provide emergency food to people referred; helps foodbanks to provide on-site additional help or signpost people to relevant local charities to resolve the cause of foodbank referral; and brings together the experiences of hundreds of communities on the frontline to challenge the structural issues that lock people in poverty and campaign for long-term change so we can see a future without the need for foodbanks.