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Original poster

What do you ACTUALLY do

58 replies

ThatHonestRaven · 19/02/2025 13:42

I’m at my wits end, I’m a failure of a mother, a person, I can’t cope with this anymore.
I have no money, no food I don’t get paid until 28th. I have applied for household support fund - 2 weeks ago - and been told it’s being assessed and to wait, I have applied to my local crisis fund, being assessed have to wait, I have no UC advances available to me, I have contacted CaB for a food bank referral, and I’m waiting for a response. What else can I actually do? I’m just at my wits end - to e darkness is too much to cope with!

OP posts:
Mumof1andacat · 19/02/2025 13:54

Do any local churches do a food bank? Some will give a bag without a referral. How old are your children? Can you speak with your health visitor if they are babies/toddlers

PancakePatty · 19/02/2025 13:59

Can your gp do a referral to the food bank? If you ring your gp practice they might be able to help you.
Sorry things are so hard for you right now. Hope you get the support you need soon. X

PandoraSox · 19/02/2025 13:59

Do you have any friends or relatives who can help you?

PandoraSox · 19/02/2025 14:01

Any points on loyalty cards you could use?

Original poster
ThatHonestRaven · 19/02/2025 14:01

Mumof1andacat · 19/02/2025 13:54

Do any local churches do a food bank? Some will give a bag without a referral. How old are your children? Can you speak with your health visitor if they are babies/toddlers

They do - but only on certain days - the next one is Friday :-/
my daughter is 7 - so no health visitor anymore -(

OP posts:
Original poster
ThatHonestRaven · 19/02/2025 14:02

PancakePatty · 19/02/2025 13:59

Can your gp do a referral to the food bank? If you ring your gp practice they might be able to help you.
Sorry things are so hard for you right now. Hope you get the support you need soon. X

I have already been referred by CAB I’m just waiting for food bank to contact me about the referral :-/

OP posts:
Original poster
ThatHonestRaven · 19/02/2025 14:03

PandoraSox · 19/02/2025 13:59

Do you have any friends or relatives who can help you?

I wish we did, we are in a situation where we are very much alone.

OP posts:
AceofPentacles · 19/02/2025 14:04

Contact your gp they should have a social prescriber who can refer you to places. We used to refer to the Biscuit Fund who do one off £50 cash payments. Not sure if you can self refer?

Original poster
ThatHonestRaven · 19/02/2025 14:04

PandoraSox · 19/02/2025 14:01

Any points on loyalty cards you could use?

£1.74 in nectar! I used my £3 Tesco last week 😅

OP posts:
TaupePanda · 19/02/2025 14:04

Do you have a local community or children centre? Ours has a community fridge which is stock donated by local shops near sell by date. It's free and doesn't need a referral. There's limited choice but ours sometimes has a load of fresh veg, dairy and / or breads which can help make ends meet. If you have younger kids you can ask your HV if they can point you in the right direction.
Have you got apps like olio? What about free / local donate groups on FB? It might not feel great to reach out but there are usually a lot of people who understand how it feels and will help if they can

PandoraSox · 19/02/2025 14:05

Whereabouts in the UK are you OP?

MrsSchrute · 19/02/2025 14:06

Roughly where in the UK are you op? Posters may have local knowledge and can suggest sources of help.

Arlanymor · 19/02/2025 14:09

You are NOT a failure - almost everyone is struggling at the moment, it’s a terrible situation.

Your local council website should have a list of food provision for your area - not all of which require vouchers or referrals. I live in Swansea, this is what our council have online - you should have something similar: https://www.swansea.gov.uk/article/5989/Food-banks-and-other-food-support

Probably worth also contacting the places where you have applied to for support to let them know that you need help today so that - if they can - they can move you up the list for assessing and processing.

I work in this area and genuinely know how hard it is.

Also it won’t be instant but not enough people know about the Greggs Foundation, I would apply there too: https://www.greggsfoundation.org.uk/grants/hardship-funding

MrsTerryPratchett · 19/02/2025 14:11

Are you near a Sikh temple? They won't turn people in need of food away.

Original poster
ThatHonestRaven · 19/02/2025 14:12

MrsSchrute · 19/02/2025 14:06

Roughly where in the UK are you op? Posters may have local knowledge and can suggest sources of help.

I’m on the South Coast xx

OP posts:
Original poster
ThatHonestRaven · 19/02/2025 14:13

AceofPentacles · 19/02/2025 14:04

Contact your gp they should have a social prescriber who can refer you to places. We used to refer to the Biscuit Fund who do one off £50 cash payments. Not sure if you can self refer?

Thank yo I will contact my GP x

OP posts:
DoorToNowhere · 19/02/2025 14:14

If your dd is in school then they may also be able to help.

TheFlis · 19/02/2025 14:14

Do you have the Olio app? Lots of food given away there daily, it’s mainly surplus from supermarkets. Our local one has so much food, especially bread, that they can’t even give it all away.

Original poster
ThatHonestRaven · 19/02/2025 14:15

DoorToNowhere · 19/02/2025 14:14

If your dd is in school then they may also be able to help.

She is although we are on half term at the moment

OP posts:
Richandstrange · 19/02/2025 14:16

Any community fb groups in your area OP? Stick an anonymous post on there if so explaining your situation, there will be people willing and able to help. I must see at least 2 of these posts a week on my local groups so you're far from alone and there's no shame in asking for help when you need it, I'm sure you would help someone in the same situation if times were easier for you Flowers

MrsOosh77 · 19/02/2025 14:16

Your daughter’s school can do a food bank referral. Even if it’s half term where you are, email in and one of the safeguarding team will (hopefully) pick up and issue for you.

Original poster
ThatHonestRaven · 19/02/2025 14:18

Richandstrange · 19/02/2025 14:16

Any community fb groups in your area OP? Stick an anonymous post on there if so explaining your situation, there will be people willing and able to help. I must see at least 2 of these posts a week on my local groups so you're far from alone and there's no shame in asking for help when you need it, I'm sure you would help someone in the same situation if times were easier for you Flowers

Thank you - I have had to come off Facebook- so I not sure how I would go about doing this though ❤️

OP posts:
Original poster
ThatHonestRaven · 19/02/2025 14:22

PandoraSox · 19/02/2025 14:05

Whereabouts in the UK are you OP?

South coast x

OP posts:
Richandstrange · 19/02/2025 14:25

ThatHonestRaven · 19/02/2025 14:18

Thank you - I have had to come off Facebook- so I not sure how I would go about doing this though ❤️

Show quote history

Pretty sure you can still use messenger even if you're not on fb so you could message an admin of one of your local groups and ask them to post for you. If you google Facebook groups in your area you should be able to view the groups on your browser without the fb app and group admins are usually named in the 'about' section. Good luck, hope it helps x

Winterwonders24 · 19/02/2025 14:26

AceofPentacles · 19/02/2025 14:04

Contact your gp they should have a social prescriber who can refer you to places. We used to refer to the Biscuit Fund who do one off £50 cash payments. Not sure if you can self refer?

Not always same day though; CAB to be assessed for fuel voucher if beefed,and food bank hopefully calls soon