Access to food

If you are in urgent need of support to access food, please visit Camden's Find Food website, to find your nearest community organisations providing food near you. You can also call us to discuss your needs on 020 7974 4444 (option 9).

Accessing food banks and community food hubs

To access a food bank you may need food bank vouchers. You can get referrals to access these from Council officers, social workers, children’s centres, GP surgeries and advice charities. 

Food banks in Camden operated by The Trussell Trust:

There is also a mobile food bank that travels to different locations in Camden. You can refer yourself to this service. 

With increased demand for foodbanks, donations from the public are more important than ever. If you are able to provide non-perishable groceries such as cereal, soups, pasta, tinned foods, UHT milk and more, please help by giving directly to your local foodbank or by leaving in your supermarket’s collection point. Find out more about how to donate and what to donate.

Access food support from schools

If your child is entitled to free school meals then you are eligible for additional food support. You can access this directly through your school’s website. 

Food vouchers for families

If your child gets free school meals or you receive Council Tax Support or Housing Benefit, you’ll get £45 supermarket vouchers for each child to help with costs over the summer holidays. Look out for a letter with instructions for downloading your voucher(s). If you don’t have access to the internet or can’t download the voucher, your local library or children’s centre can help. If the letter doesn’t arrive by 8 August 2022 or you need any other support, please call 020 7974 4444 (option 9). 

Join or start a food co-op

Food co-ops are a way to regularly access low-cost food – you can join one or start one on your own street or estate.

Cooperation Town is a network of food co-ops, where members pool together to buy food in bulk and access surplus food from supermarkets. Each household pays £3 to £10 a week and gets about five times what they pay for in value – saving up to 40% on weekly food costs.

To find out more, visit the Cooperation Town website or email Cooperation Town and they will put you in touch with a Cooperation Town co-op near you or can help you to start your own.