Healthy Start food vouchers

Regular vouchers can be provided by Healthy Start to help buy fruit, vegetables and milk if you’re on a low income, pregnant or have a child under four.

If you’re eligible for the Healthy Start scheme you can pick up free vitamins from the child and family centres across Cambridgeshire – including The Fields, Galfrid Road, and Arbury Community Centre, Campkin Road. Find out more on the Healthy Start website.

If you shop at Sainsbury's, you can also get a £2 a week top-up coupon on top of your Healthy Start food vouchers

For more information, please visit the Sainsbury's website.

Emergency food

If you’re struggling financially, there are several places in Cambridge where you can access free food to help you get by for a few days. These include local foodbanks and food hubs.

Many of these services are open to everyone and operate with discretion, ensuring that you can get the support you need without worry.

Foodbanks that require a voucher

Cambridge City Foodbank has ‘welcome centres’ around the city that provide non-judgemental support at the point of crisis. To access these you need a valid foodbank voucher issued by one their partner agencies.

Visit the Cambridge City Foodbank website or call the Help through Hardship helpline on 0808 208 2138 to find out more.

Self-referral food hubs

Several organisations run local food hubs where you don’t need a referral to access food. Because they rely on donations, the amount and types of food available can change from week to week, but there’s always something to help you get by.

Visit the Cambridge Sustainable Food website to see a list of hubs operating in the area, as well as organisations offering low cost meals.

Cambridge Sustainable Food is the city’s lead organisation for coordinating emergency food support, working in partnership with the Cambridge Food Justice Alliance. The alliance brings together more than 25 organisations focused on tackling poverty and aims to create a fairer, more sustainable food system for everyone in Cambridge.

Low-cost food shopping

A Fairbite Food Club is an affordable food shop where members pay a small weekly membership fee and can choose from a variety of cupboard staples, fresh produce, and household essentials.

Cambridge has six Fairbite locations, most of which are run alongside a community café. These cafés provide a welcoming space for members to meet and connect and also host support services from organisations like Citizens Advice, offering guidance and help when needed.

Visit the Cambridge City Foodbank website to find out more about Fairbite Food Clubs.

Cambridge Community Kitchen

Cambridge Community Kitchen provides hot, hearty, vegan meals for anyone who needs one, which can be delivered to your home.

FoodCycle Cambridge

FoodCycle Cambridge invites anyone for a warm meal, whatever your reason for needing one as the cost of living increases. Drop into St Andrew’s Street Baptist Church from 12.30pm on a Saturday. No matter your background, you’ll be greeted warmly by friendly volunteers.

Olio – free food that would otherwise be wasted

Olio is an app that lists food and other products in Cambridge that would otherwise be wasted.

You can request food and non-food items via the Olio app.

Cambridgeshire Local Assistance Scheme

The Cambridgeshire Local Assistance Scheme (CLAS) supports people facing unexpected financial difficulties. CLAS can provide information, advice and practical support and assistance in times of exceptional pressure.

Following an assessment, you may be eligible for a CLAS award. The awards can be in the form of supermarket vouchers, energy vouchers, new white goods, decorating packs, beds, mattresses, recycled white goods and furniture. You can self-refer, contact CLAS directly.

Financial support from Cambridgeshire County Council

The Cambridgeshire Household Support Fund has been created to help people experiencing immediate financial hardship to pay for food and household energy bills. 

Free school meals

Children from households with lower incomes may be entitled to free school meals.

School children who are eligible for free school meals are entitled to a two-course meal worth approximately £2.30 for primary and £2.35 for secondary each day. 

Find out more and apply for free school meals on Cambridgeshire County Council’s website.

Although all Key Stage 1 children get free school meals, you should still apply, as your child’s school will get extra money called the 'pupil premium'.

If you claim Housing Benefit or Council Tax Support and we think your family may be entitled to free school meals, we'll let Cambridgeshire County Council know and they'll send you a form to apply.

Secondary school children who are entitled to free school meals might also qualify for help with school transport costs. See get help with your child’s school costs, for more information.

Holiday supermarket vouchers

In recent years, eligible families across Cambridgeshire have been able to receive holiday vouchers from Cambridgeshire County Council.

This has previously been £30 during Christmas or Easter, and £75 during the summer.

Families can choose where to spend the vouchers from a number of eligible supermarkets.

Those eligible for the vouchers are pupils who meet the following criteria:

• eligible for income related funded two-year-old education (aged 2)
• eligible for income related Early Years Pupil Premium (aged 3 and 4)
• eligible for income-related free school meals (4 to 16)
• eligible for 16+ bursary (16 to 19)
• receiving an Education, Health and Care Plan (up to 25)

Free holiday childcare including a meal

If your child is eligible for free school meals you can also access free childcare with a healthy meal over the Easter, Summer and Christmas holidays, subject to availability.

Find out more about Cambridgeshire County Council’s Holiday Activities and Food (HAF) Programme.

Free holiday lunches for children

We provide free lunches and activities for families with nursery or school-aged children in the school holidays, at various locations around Cambridge.

See free holiday lunches for full details. 

Free period products

No-one should have to go without period products.

If you are unable to afford period products you can access these at the council's community centres or at food hubs and foodbanks in the city.