Click Here To Register as a Referrer

If you are registering and have a referral you want to make straight away, please do so and do not wait for a response from us, we will only contact you if there is a problem with the referral.

The Westminster Local Hardship Fund is aimed at helping vulnerable residents with essential household costs over the winter months in the form of supermarket vouchers to spend at Sainsburys.

Eligibility criteria:

• Applicants must be residing in Westminster. Residents placed in out of borough accommodation by Westminster are also eligible to apply
• Low income: Applicants must be in receipt of means-tested benefits or have a household income of below £21,500 and struggling financially with household costs (food, energy, water etc.)
• Applicants with no recourse to public funds can also apply.

Westminster Local Hardship Fund – Self Referrals (office.com)

Westminster Local Hardship Fund – Partners (office.com)

IF YOU ARE UNABLE TO AFFORD FOOD

Summary:

The North Paddington Food Bank will require you to have a referral to use the service.

If you have a support worker they can refer you via our website. This could be a social worker, family worker, mental health worker or someone from a community service that helps you regularly. Please note that this does not include carers who visit homes to help with cooking and cleaning.

The foodbank is changing the way we work. Instead of food, the food bank will be issuing some of our customers with texts that enable them to withdraw cash from an ATM. If your support worker thinks this is right for you, then they will be able to refer you via our website. If your support worker does not think this is the best way for you to access help at the moment, they can access a list of other food banks here or from our referral form.

If you do not have a support worker, you can find a list of referral agencies below. You may prefer to speak with your GP or faith leader for a referral. We can help people who are experiencing hardship for up to 6 weeks by issuing a text to withdraw cash from an ATM, as above. We will be asking all our customers to answer questions about their financial situation when they request help from us. This is so we can signpost you to services that ensure you can access all the help and benefits you are entitled to.

We cannot provide long term support. However, we know that some situations are complicated and take time to resolve. We will work with you or your support worker to ensure you have all the help you need as far as possible.

More North Paddington Food Bank Referrers

If you need help paying for food and cannot go to the shops yourself. You, or your referrer, may want to organise a volunteer shopper to help you. Westminster Connects can help find a suitable person. You or your referrer can contact them by emailing:
westminsterconnects@westminster.gov.uk

You may also want to try:

Morrisons Doorstep Delivery Service
Call 0345 611 6111, to place an order choose option 5

Co-op shopping service
Call 0800 029 4592 between 9am and 8pm

If you are on a low income and need longer term support affording food, you or your referrer may wish to use The Westbourne Park Food Pantry on Thursdays or The Abbey Centre Pantry on Wednesday and Friday mornings where subscribers can access about £20 of food for a £5 fee

A comprehensive list of local foodbanks can be found here. We are also working closely with The Granville Community Kitchen.

Morrisons Doorstep Delivery Service
Call 0345 611 6111, to place an order choose option 5

Co-op shopping service
Call 0800 029 4592 between 9am and 8pm

Westway Community transport, for low cost or free door to door transport
Westway CT https://westwayct.org.uk/
Call 020 8964 4928.

If you have children under 4 years, you can now apply for Healthy Start Vouchers without the signature of a health visitor
Healthy start – https://www.healthystart.nhs.uk/

If you live in South Westminster, you can access the Westminster chapel Food Bank through a referral from Westminster CAB (above) 0r the
Cardinal Hume Centre https://www.cardinalhumecentre.org.uk/

We can refer clients for face to face advice from:

Westminster CAB
Shelter
Age UK Westminster (home visits for over 65 yrs)

We can refer clients for advice over the phone to

Age Uk Westminster (Over 50yrs)
Nucleus debt / employment / housing legal advice
Shelter
Z2K
Cardinal Hume Centre (families and young people)
Homestart (Volunteer support for parents with children under 5 yrs)
Shine London (advice on fuel costs)

Please note, this is not an exhaustive list of our charitable partners. We will approach each household individually and listen to what support they specifically need and how it can best be delivered.

You can contact the food bank on 07952 616 352 or info@npfoodbank.org.uk