If you are struggling to afford food and/or are in fuel need contact Citizens Advice West Oxfordshire.
Good Food Oxford
Good Food Oxford is continuously updating the Oxfordshire food access map to signpost anyone in food need to community food services such as foodbanks, community larders, and food projects. Most foodbanks require a referral to access them - this can come for example from a doctor, housing association, local council or charity. Larders and fridges do not work on a referral basis and provide either low cost or free food which otherwise would go to waste.
Food Waste Apps
The Too Good To Go app lists unsold food from local shops and restaurants and allows you to purchase it at a discount so it doesn't go to waste. Find out more and download the app from: https://toogoodtogo.co.uk/en-gb/
The OLIO app helps surplus local food to be used, not thrown away. This could be food nearing its sell-by date in local stores, spare home-grown vegetables, bread from a bakery, or unwanted groceries. Find out more and download the app from: https://olioex.com/
The Household Support Fund
The Household Support Fund is now closed to new applications. All of the available funding is expected to be allocated to applications that have already been received. Citizens Advice can still be contacted for general benefits and debt advice using the details shown below.
The Household Support Fund (HSF) has been launched by the government to offer a very important lifeline for vulnerable households who may struggle to afford life’s essentials.
The money will primarily be used to help pay for food, energy, and water bills for vulnerable households, but other costs can also be covered. The funds are not restricted to people in receipt of benefits and there is no requirement that you must be employed or that you must be unemployed.
Citizens Advice West Oxfordshire distribute the support in the form of food vouchers on behalf of West Oxfordshire District Council.
Who is eligible?
- People aged 18 and over living in West Oxfordshire who have not had a similar payment from Citizens Advice West Oxfordshire in the last six months; and
- People with a priority debt (e.g. rent arrears, mortgage arrears, gas, electricity, court fine, tax or National Insurance debt etc) OR
- People in receipt of means-tested benefits OR
- A pensioner in receipt of Pension Credit OR
- A pensioner not in receipt of a means tested benefit who is in food or fuel poverty
How to apply
To check if you are eligible and to access the scheme, you can either email info@citizensadvicewestoxon.org.uk or ring 01993 892063.
Please note this is not an emergency fund and there could be a short delay in replying to emails/telephone calls. If you need urgent assistance please ring Citizens Advice West Oxfordshire on Freephone 0808 278 7908.