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

At the moment, children registered for free school meals receive additional support, including free breakfast clubs and food vouchers in the holidays. If your child is in primary school, they’ll already be receiving free school meals but they must be signed up to the scheme to receive this extra support. If your child is in secondary school, check if they’re eligible and sign them up today 

Food support for families

Supermarket vouchers

Supermarket vouchers will be posted to families living in Camden with children aged up to 18 who are receiving Housing Benefit or Council Tax support. Any child attending a Camden school and receiving free school meals will also receive vouchers.

Families will receive:

  • £15 per child in February 2023
  • £30 per child in March 2023
  • £15 per child in May 2023

Families with more than one child will receive multiple vouchers. The vouchers can be used in a variety of supermarkets. Over 16,400 children will receive this support as part of the Household Support Fund. 

NHS Healthy Start scheme

Get help to buy healthy food and milk through the NHS Healthy Start scheme. This is available if you’re more than 10 weeks pregnant or have a child under 4. 

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.