Help with food costs

Food banks

Food banks are community organisations that can help if you can not afford the food you need. You'll usually need to get a referral to a food bank before you can use it. You can ask for a referral from an organisation that's already supporting you eg a charity, school or family centre, or you can contact Citizens Advice.

Durham foodbank locations

The Bread and Butter Thing (TBBT)

TBBT collects surplus food and staple goods that often end up going to waste from supermarkets, factories and farms, and distributes it at a discount price through community hubs. You will need to become a member to use the service, but this is free to do.

For just £8.50, TBBT members' shopping bags can be filled with an average of £35 worth of items made up of quality, nutritious food. Each week members can access three bags of produce, including fresh fruit and vegetables, chilled goods, as well as cupboard staples such as pasta and cereal.

Bread and Butter Thing: membership

Healthy Start

With Healthy Start, you get free prepaid card that is topped up each week to spend on milk, fresh, frozen, and tinned fruit and vegetables, fresh, dried, and tinned pulses, and infant formula milk. You can also get free vitamins.

Healthy Start