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IOW Food Bank. We aim to help those struggling with food poverty and short term crisis on the Isle of Wight.

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IOW Food Bank. We aim to help those struggling with food poverty and short term crisis on the Isle of Wight.

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Foodbank is running a More Than Food programme. This means that they are providing additional support alongside emergency food, to help people address the underlying issues behind their crisis.

The foodbank has specifically trained volunteers who can offer you additional help by signposting to relevant agencies who are able to provide specific support.

They also offer:

A Community Wellbeing Practitioner who can provide free confidential, one-to-one positive wellbeing support for up to 12 weeks.

Drop in sessions with Southern Water and The Footprint Trust who provide practical advice on how to reduce your water and energy bills respectively.

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Get Help

Find out how to get help from our food bank on the Isle of Wight.

Use the Back and Forward buttons to navigate through the slides. Each slide is displayed one at a time.

We rely on the support of our local community for food donations, volunteering and finances.
Can you help us stop hunger on The Isle of Wight?

Our foodbank works using a voucher referral system.
Find out more about how we work.

NEXT SALE: Saturday 1st November 2025.
Donations needed: Please bring your good quality pre-loved clothes to our Cowes Foodbank and help us turn #FashionIntoFood.

Tinned Vegetables; Puddings; Rice Puddings; Tinned Spaghetti; Tinned Meat Meals; Toothbrushes; Toilet Rolls; Nappies (Size 5 + above); Male / Female Deodorant

Where we are
Get directions & opening times

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Find out how to get help from our food bank on the Isle of Wight. Use the Back and Forward buttons to navigate through the slides. Each slide is displayed one at a time. We rely on the support of our local community for food donations, volunteering and finances.

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Life Skills programme for 16-35 year olds

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Life Skills programme for 16-35 year olds

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You Matter is Coming to Shanklin!

We’re excited to announce the launch of our You Matter programme in Shanklin, Isle of Wight, starting 13th January 2025!

An accredited life skills programme for 16–35 year-olds, covering:

Housing Matters: tenancy support and housing advice

Money Matters: budgeting and financial skills

Future Matters: CVs, careers, and college preparation

Life Matters: mental health, relationships, and personal growth

YMCA, Winchester House, Shanklin, PO37 6HT

Mondays, starting 13th January 2025

12pm – 2pm

Cost to travel is not a barrier – we’ll help you participate.

Call our IOW Coach at 07379 548691

Email r.knight@yellowbrickroadprojects.com

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From direct help with household bills and food vouchers to support through community organisations offering cookery classes, warm spaces, food and hygiene hampers and clothing to those who need them, the Household Support Fund is designed to help Island families cope with the cost of living. Please see the list on the website to find out where you can get the right household support for you.

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Move on and Thrive - help for those aged 16 - 25 years

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Move on and Thrive - help for those aged 16 - 25 years

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Move On & Thrive Youth Empowerment Fund | Sovereign Housing

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The Move On and Thrive Youth Empowerment Fund 2024 is for 16-25 year olds living on the Isle of Wight and need a little extra help to Move on and Thrive!

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Green Isle of Wight: Sustainability & Energy Solutions

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Reduce your carbon footprint and energy bills. Green Isle of Wight offers expert advice, EPCs, and retrofits for a sustainable future.

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Helping everyone to access the benefits they're entitled to

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Benefits Calculator - entitledto - independent | accurate | reliable | www.entitledto.co.uk

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Check what benefit entitlement you are entitled to. The entitledto benefits calculator will check which means-tested benefits you may be entitled to e.g. tax credits, universal credit, housing benefit ...

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Turn2us is a national charity offering information and practical help to people facing financial insecurity.

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Use the Turn2us Benefits Calculator to find out which welfare benefits you may be entitled to.

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Free home energy guidance and help

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The Footprint Trust : Working to reduce the Isle of Wight’s carbon footprint

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Based in Newport, we provide island-wide support, help, and guidance for sustainable living. We can help reduce your home energy usage and save money on bills.

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What do I do if I can’t pay my energy bills?

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Your options to manage debt for your business if you can’t afford your bills

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Struggling with energy debt?

If you're struggling with debt its difficult to know where to turn. The British Gas Energy Trust would encourage you to contact your local Money Advice Agency for help before applying for a grant. If you get advice, this will help your chances of a successful grant application.

Click here to find your local advice centre or find online debt and money information at www.turn2us.org.uk, www.StepChange.org and on the Citizens Advice national website.

Our Grants

Once you have sought advice, the British Gas Energy Trust may be able to provide a grant if you are struggling to pay off gas or electricity debt. Please note grants over £1,500 will only be considered in exceptional circumstances. As part of your application, we will want to understand how you will be able to manage your energy costs in future. This is why it's so important to ensure you have sought professional money advice before applying, as there may be other routes which are more suitable for your situation.

Our debt relief grants are available to both British Gas customers and customers of other energy suppliers.

If you are struggling with domestic gas and electricity debts owed to British Gas or other suppliers you can apply for a grant from us to clear that debt.

Please read the Who Can Apply section to ensure you are eligible to apply.

The grants available and eligibility criteria may change from time to time so please check carefully before you apply. If you are ready, Apply Now.

" Hello. I am just writing to say thank you so much for helping me with my bill. I don't know how many customers contact you to say thank you but I really appreciate your service and what you have done for me and I just wanted to put that across" - thank you email, 2022

Individual and Families Debt Write Off Fund

The Fund is open to BG and non-BG customers with an energy debt between £250 and £1500 - the debt must apply to your primary residence and must be an active energy account.

British Gas Energy Support Fund

Thanks to British Gas, the Trust has opened a new energy support fund to help the most financially vulnerable British Gas customers, who are struggling to pay their energy bills - building on the support it already offers them.

This fund, has been set up in response to the increasing cost of living and rising inflation, including Ofgem's most recent price cap increase. Through the fund, thousands of eligible British Gas customers with fuel debt of £250 to £1,500, can apply for grants to help pay their energy bills over the coming months.

The fund will remain open until all the money invested has been awarded.

Fuel and Money Advice

The Trust funds advice-giving organisations across England, Wales and Scotland which give free support and help people avoid the burden of energy debt, make informed choices and improve their money management skills. Find an advice centre local to you.

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Grants Available - British Gas Energy Trust

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If you're struggling with debt its difficult to know where to turn. The British Gas Energy Trust would encourage you to contact your local Money Advice Agency for help before applying for a grant. If you get advice, this will help your chances of a successful grant application.

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Skills 4 Work is a completely free, 1-2-1 employment support and coaching programme for Sovereign residents living on the Isle of Wight.

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What If I Can't Pay My Bill? - Southern Water

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If you're struggling to pay your water bill, we're here to support you. Find out more information and advice on what assistance is available.

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Cost of Living advice from Sovereign Network Group

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Cost of Living advice from Sovereign Network Group

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We have an arrangement with Pocket Power , a telephone triage service that can help you save money on your household bills. This looks at more than just gas and electric. It includes savings on water and sewerage, broadband and mobile phones.

Further information on support available

Energy price cap and government support

Between 1 July and 30 September 2024, the energy price cap (also called the Energy Price Guarantee) is set at £1,568 per year - which is £122 lower than the cap set between 1 April to 30 June 2024 (£1,690).

This is not the maximum a household could be charged, but based on a typical household who uses electricity and gas, and pays by Direct Debit.

What is fixed is the price per unit of energy and the standing charge, so being conscious of your energy consumption can still help with your fuel bills.

If you're struggling to pay your rent or bills, please contact us or get in touch with your usual SNG (Sovereign Network Group) contact to see how we might be able to help you.

Don't be tempted by loan sharks , high-interest credit or store cards - they target people who are already struggling with rising costs and you could get stuck with unaffordable repayments.
Household Support Fund (HSF)
Councils have been allocated money to help the most vulnerable households with essential food and energy costs. Search on your local council's website for details - conditions apply.

Freeholders and leaseholders

If you're worried about paying your mortgage, please speak with your lender or talk to an independent financial advisor. UK Finance's Reach Out campaign has details on what support could be available.

If you haven't been paying your service charges, please get in touch with us as soon as possible, so we can discuss next steps.

Read a text-only version of the animation - Talk money a case study - Martin

Worried about money?

Find out how we can help

Martin lives on his own and was struggling with debt and his mental health after losing his job

He couldn't afford food and wasn't heating his home

We helped Martin by:

Securing a £500 Cost of Living Assistance Fund payment

Providing emergency food and fuel vouchers

Securing £700 council tax arrears support

Giving him access to the internet and a digital device

Helping him develop his CV and interview skills to secure a new job

Supporting him to clear his debts

Gas and electricity

Gas end electricity companies cannot cut off your supply unless they have first offered you a range of payment methods to help you pay. They can only disconnect your supply as a last resort and they must give you proper notice first.

See what support is available from your energy providers: British Gas , Scottish Power , Ovo Energy , E.ON Energy Fund and E.ON Next Energy Fund , EDF Energy , Octopus .

If you can't afford to top up your prepayment meter, ask your energy supplier for 'emergency credit'. You can also ask your local council or a food bank if there are fuel vouchers available.

If your energy supplier goes out of business , Ofgem will appoint a new supplier and your supply won't be disrupted. Take a meter reading, don't switch, wait for Ofgem to choose a new supplier (this way any credit you have will be moved across) and wait for the new supplier to contact you. You can then switch to another supplier if you prefer.

If you're a vulnerable person, ask your energy provider to put you on the Priority Services Register . This gives you information like advance notice for planned power cuts (important if you rely on your energy supply for medical reasons) and priority support in an emergency.

If you pay your energy bills by direct debit, ask for a breakdown of what you're paying for. This is to make sure your supplier is charging you for what you're actually using, not an estimate. Not submitting your meter readings? Do it now for more accurate billing.

Help with your bills

Don't automatically renew on things like insurance, TV and broadband. Price-compare with other companies and speak with your current supplier to see what they can offer.
Electricity
Don't leave electrical items on standby (e.g. kettles and TVs - leave the fridge and freezer on!) and remember to switch off lights in rooms you're not using. This can add up to £100s a year.
Water
Some people could be eligible for an up to 90% discount - MSE explains why and how to check if you're eligible .

If you're finding it difficult to pay your water bill, speak to your water supplier as soon as possible to see if they have support available. Your water company will also be able to give you some water saving tips, and you might be able to get some free water saving devices from them.

For some more great advice, visit the MoneySavingExpert website .

Age UK shares tips on how to use less water, potential discounts, and the Priority Services Register.
Council tax
You may be entitled to a council tax discount or rebate - find out more information on the types of discounts available . Contact your local council to apply for a discount.
TV, broadband and phone
Save money on your TV - find out if you can cut costs by making the most of Freeview, switching streaming plan and finding the best digital TV deal.
Healthcare costs
Check if you have an exemption from paying NHS costs . An NHS exemption certificate helps you to pay for your NHS costs, such as prescriptions or dental treatment.
Support for disabilities
The government has an overview of different support available - including benefits; help with transport and housing costs; employment, VAT relief and armed forces compensation.
Pension credit
Pension credit is a benefit aimed at retired people on low incomes. Pensioners may still be eligible if they own their home or have savings. If you're eligible for pension credit, you can also get other financial help such as help with heating costs, housing benefit and a free TV licence if you're over 75. Find out more information about pension credit and how to apply .

Savings for households and families

Save money on your food bills

If you go out to eat, don't be embarrassed to ask to take away any leftover food.

With food prices going up, now more than ever it's important not to waste food. The websites below will help you make the most of the food you buy.

creating meal plans before you go shopping

making a shopping list and setting a budget

storing your food in the right place to keep it fresher for longer

great food saving recipes.

Free or cheaper food

Keeping the right food in the fridge.

Making better use of your freezer.

Using up leftover food.

Save or make money on your shopping*

Click on the links below for more details on ways to make your money go further.

* Please note, these are not endorsements and most require registering personal data so please consider carefully before choosing to use them.

Cashback - get money back on purchases with apps like:
Coupons

If you're shopping online, always do a search to see if any discount codes apply.

Most supermarkets offer coupons through their loyalty cards and some print them in their free in-store magazine.

Money Saving Expert lists some on its website.

Supermarket loyalty cards - earn points, pounds or vouchers on your shop and turn them into money off vouchers:
Go green and save money
Find out how you can cut costs and also make money reducing, reusing and recycling .

Support in your area

Bournemouth, Christchurch and Poole

Cost of living support
Lunch clubs
Find a list of lunch clubs in Dorset.

Devon

Support and services from your local council

Dorset

You can find cost of living information and support from Dorset Council .

Hampshire

The Mug and Biscuit - St Andrews Methodist Church
The Mug and Biscuit provides low-cost snack and hot and cold drinks to the community on Tuesdays and Thursdays from 10am to 1.30pm.

Venue - St Andrews Methodist Church, Western Way, South Ham, Basingstoke, RG22 6ER

Day/time - Tuesdays and Thursdays from 10am to 1.30pm. .

Find out more information

Community food pantries
Community pantries provide groceries at a lower rate than shops and supermarkets. Find your closest community food pantry .
Keep well and warm in your home advice - The Environment Centre
Providing free and impartial advice to Hampshire residents, including

how to make a home warmer and more energy efficient

current grant schemes for energy improvements and who is eligible

how to access support with energy bills.

Find out more information

Support and services through your local council

Isle of Wight

Community Cafes - enjoy a hot drink or a wide variety of hot meals and fresh cakes and snacks.

Community Spirited, East Cowes
Venue - Parkside Pavilion, Vectis Road, East Cowes, PO32 6HN
Day/times - Mondays, Wednesdays and Fridays from 10am to 12pm
Find more information

The Living Room, Newport
Venue - 82-83 High Street, Newport, PO30 1BH
Day/times - Mondays and Thursdays from 11am to 2pm
Find more information

Aspire, Ryde
Venue - Trinity Buildings, Dover St, Ryde, PO33 2BN
Day/times - Tuesdays, Thursday and Fridays from 10am to 4pm. Wednesdays from 10am to 5.30pm
Find more information

The Isobel Community Cafe - Pan Together - provides freshly-prepared, wholesome food at affordable prices whilst also acting as a social hub for the neighbourhood.
Venue - Pan Together, Downside Community Centre, Newport, PO30 2AX
Dates/times - Tuesday to Friday from 9am to 3pm
Find out more information

Foodbanks - helping those struggling with food poverty and short term crisis on the Isle of Wight.

There are a number of foodbanks on the Isle of Wight - find out where they are and opening times .

Money and debt

Find out more

Lower fuel bills

Find out more

Employment and skills

Find out more

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Support with the cost of living | Sovereign Housing

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Find information to help you and your family with the rising cost of living.

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Local money management advice, form filling help and more at Pan Together's Downside Community Centre

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Local money management advice, form filling help and more at Pan Together's Downside Community Centre

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Links to local service providers who can help with financial worries

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Emergency help with money and paying bills

If you are in genuine hardship and quickly need help with food, gas and electricity in an emergency, contact Help Through Crisis.

Isle of Wight support with money worries

Other financial support﻿﻿

Support for veterans

Veterans and their dependents may be able to access an Everyday Needs Grant from the Royal British Legion.

Any Islander who is aged 19 or over and does not have maths GCSE at grade c or above can take part in free training courses. Multiply is a new programme to help adults improve their maths skills with free courses. The training could lead you on the first steps towards gaining a maths qualification or help you use maths to manage your household budget. Get more info our website.

Get free and impartial advice about money from the government backed website MoneyHelper.

Help to Save

Help to Save is the government savings scheme for low-income earners, which offers a 50% bonus payment worth up to £1,200 over four years. Savers can deposit between £1 and £50 a month into their account and will receive a government bonus- even if money has been withdrawn. Savers will earn a 50p bonus for every £1 saved. The bonus payments are paid in the second and fourth years.

Travel to the mainland for medical appointments

Get information about discounted travel to the mainland from the ferry companies.

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Where to get help if you are worried about money

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Help give people the knowledge and confidence they need to find their way forward - whoever they are, and whatever their problem - including a wealth of free financial advice, information guidance.

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Financial advice including information about maternity and paternity allowance, child maintenance, childcare allowance, disability living allowance and more.

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Benefits and financial support for families

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Help if you look after children or plan to have or adopt a child. Includes Child Benefit.

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Have a vision to transform lives and put an end to UK poverty.

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Offers advice on employment law, HR processes and good practice at work for employers and employees and works to improve workplace relationships

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Free advice on employment law, HR processes and good practice for workers and employers.

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Helps thousands of people become debt free every year with free, flexible debt advice to anyone who needs it.

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At StepChange, we've been providing expert debt advice over the phone since 1993. We saw the potential for online debt advice early on and developed the first fully-online debt advice service over 15 years ago. Since then, it's helped over 1.6 million people clear their debts.

But what's next? Well, we know that the pandemic has supercharged digital adoption and that your customers expect responsive, professional, and caring support. So, let us introduce StepChange Your Way. StepChange Your Way is flexible, free debt advice that allows your customers to seamlessly switch between our online and telephone advice channels while only having to provide their information once.

So, how does it work? We'll start by asking your customers some quick questions to understand how best we can support them. If debt advice is right for them, we'll capture the details of their debts and help them create a realistic, sustainable budget by understanding how much they may be able to afford to repay towards their debts.

At any time during the debt advice journey, customers can easily switch between channels, take a break, and continue once they're ready. And our online service is available 24/7 too, so they can use it at a time that suits them. When the debt advice process is complete, we'll give them an advice recommendation, tailored to their personal needs.

We'll guide them through the solution setup process. Whether it's a supported solution, such as a Debt management plan, or an insolvency option, such as a Debt relief order, we're here to meet the needs of your customers. And during peak times, our systems can flex to cope with increased demand.

So, start referring today. StepChange, Your Way.

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StepChange Helps Over 650,000 People A Year. Find Out How.

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StepChange Debt Charity provides free debt advice and help to manage your money. We are the largest UK debt charity helping millions deal with debts.

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Cuts through the jargon and complexity to help put people in control of their finances - from choosing a first bank account through to retirement advice they offer free guidance and support. Whatever your circumstances or plans, they offer clear guidance online, over the phone and face-to-face.

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MoneyHelper joins up money and pensions guidance to make it quicker and easier to find the right help. MoneyHelper brings together the support and services of three government-backed financial guidance providers: the Money Advice Service, the Pensions Advisory Service and Pension Wise.

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Free and impartial help with money, backed by the government | MoneyHelper

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MoneyHelper: free and impartial help with money and pensions. Formerly Money Advice Service, The Pension Advisory Service and Pension Wise.