Food and Fuel Poverty
If you are struggling to provide food for you and your family, we can help.
Food bank and food parcels
If you have no food at all, please contact us or drop into a Hub for a Food Bank Voucher. We will ask about your circumstances and check you are receiving all the benefits you are entitled to, and help you with any debts and expenses.
If you need food and supplies urgently during COVID 19 we can help you.
You can also access Food bank vouchers via other organisations and collect via their locations.
There are other organisations in Cardiff too that can help with food these include:
- ACE/ Dusty Forge for residents of Ely/ Caerau
- Pentrebane The Zone, Beechley Drive, Pentrebane
- Al-Ikhlas, Broadway, Adamsdown
Please note that their services are likely to be affected during Covid 19 and you should contact them before making any journeys.
Free School Meals
If you are on a low income and your child is in primary or secondary school, you may qualify for free school meals. During Covid-19 and children are not in school, different schemes are being run for those who would usually get free school meals. Make your application via the council website and you will be contacted with further details.
Healthy Start Vouchers
Healthy Start is a scheme to help expectant mothers, new parents and their children to eat healthily. If you qualify, you can get free vitamins, and a voucher towards the costs of milk, vegetables and fruit. Apply for healthy start vouchers.
Food and Fun – SHEP
This is a free scheme held in school holidays and includes childcare, activities and meals for children during the holidays in their own school. Please contact your school to see if they run the scheme.
Breakfast clubs
Breakfast clubs offer a free, healthy breakfast in some schools. Please contact your own school to see if they have a free breakfast club.
Fuel Poverty
Utility bills such as gas, electricity and water can take up a large part of your income.
There are ways listed below to help you reduce your bills, but if you need help please contact us or drop into a Hub for more information.
Please note that during lockdown, an appointment will be required to visit a Hub.
Gas and Electric Bills
Utility bills can be very high and can take a large amount from your income. If you feel you are paying too much, you can do a comparison on USwitch.co.uk. This will look at the best deals for you whether you are billed or have a pre-pay meter.
You will need details of your current utility provider and meter readings. If you are unable to do this yourself, we are able to help you. Contact us on 02920 871 071.
If you are in debt with your gas or electric bill contact your supplier as many run schemes to help people in debt. We can also help you apply.
Welsh Water Tariffs
If you are on a low income, have a large family or have disabilities or health conditions that mean you use more water, you may qualify for a reduced water bill.
If you’re in severe debt with Welsh Water, we can help you make an application to their customer assistance fund to help reduce what you owe if you are unable to do this yourself.
Warm Home Discount
Utility Companies offer this scheme if you are on a low income which takes a fixed amount off your electric or gas bill. These schemes usually open in September each year. We can check if you are eligible and help you apply.
NEST
If you are having trouble heating your home, then the Welsh Government’s NEST scheme can help. They will look at the energy efficiency in your home and will look at ways of improving it. They offer everything from advice to insulation or a new boiler depending on your circumstances.