A supportive guide for when everything feels overwhelming, and you don’t know what to do first.
If you want clear, step-by-step help getting food right now, start here:
Can’t afford food? What help is available right now in the UK
Take your time and read what helps.
You’re skint and feel like you’ve hit rock bottom. There’s no food in the fridge or cupboards. The kids need feeding. You’re hungry and don’t know what to do next.
Don’t cry
You are not a failure!
Please read this again and repeat the words.
You are NOT a failure.
While it won’t help you, you are not the only person this has happened to. Depressingly, this happens too often.
Running out of money and food is not something that only happens to people on benefits or to anyone else who fits a stereotype.
Having a low income (or even a decent income, but with bills wiping out everything), debt, and even wage delays mean people don’t have enough money to make it through.
If you’re looking for clear, step-by-step food help you can use right now, this guide may be easier to follow: Can’t afford food? What help is available right now in the UK.
What can you do if you run out of food?
It doesn’t matter how many others are going through this, as you are the one dealing with this right now.
You may find yourself saying in your head, “I have no money what do I do?!”
It’s a situation they don’t teach you in school. There isn’t a “how to” programme on TV.
You may be scared and totally unsure what to do, but there are things you can do to help.
How much do you really have?
First, it’s worth seeing how much money you really have.
Is your bank at zero, or is there a few quid?
Do you have a savings pot you can raid?
How much change has dropped behind the back of the sofa?
Look around your home – how much is there?
You’ll likely find a few pounds. This isn’t as much as you may spend on a normal food shop, but 45p can buy you a 1kg bag of rice, and 75p will get you a kilo bag of porridge oats.
While you may not think it’s the most appetising meal in the world, it may be very basic, it will feed you for less than £1 for a few days.
Stock check
Grab a pen and paper.
Open up every cupboard, fridge and freezer and start making a list.
What do you have?
You may not use it every day. You may have been given it in a weird hamper, and it’s gone untouched. It doesn’t matter.
If you have any food, you may be able to cook a few different things.
Get out of your comfort zone
Your favourite meals may be a roast dinner or a spaghetti bolognese, but you’re going to need to adapt and learn to be a bit inventive for a while.
Head to Supercook. It’s like the Google of recipes.
Add in every single ingredient you have – even if you think it’s a silly thing to cook with. The more things you add, the more recipe suggestions it’ll give you.
Supercook has over 600,000 recipes and will search for what you can make, based on what you’ve got leftover.
Thrifty Lesley also has a mass of mega-budget recipes.
Search for your ingredient, and you’ll find loads of ideas to feed yourself.
Sell up or clear out
Do you have stuff that you don’t really need?
Video games, DVDs, jewellery?
Forget eBay, as it takes too long. Turn to Facebook Marketplace, Gumtree and even a pawn shop.
Used more specialist sites to get the best overall value:
You may not get fortunes, but you’ll get something to help buy some food.
Also, have you bought anything recently? If you still have the receipt (and the return policy is still valid), you can return the item and get your cashback.
Read this: Why selling your stuff is one of the fastest ways to get cash
Use up loyalty points
Dig your loyalty cards out and see how much you’ve got on them.
Sainsbury’s Nectar points and Boots Advantage card points can be spent straight from the card.
You may also have some unused Tesco Clubcard points so jump onto their site to see if you’ve got points to spend.
While Sainsbury’s and Tesco may be able to get you some food and loo roll, save the Boots points for basic toothpaste, deodorant and shampoo.
Working? Ask for an advance
If you’re working, you may be able to get a small advance on your wages.
It will obviously leave you short on the following payday, but it’s a much better option than a high-interest loan.
Speak to your HR department and see if they can help.
Phone a friend
While your loose change may feed you for a day or so, and you can use up the food in your cupboards for a few more days, it’s not going to be sustainable for too long.
Do you have a relative or friend who can help? Could they lend you some money to buy food, or have you round for dinner a couple of times?
It’s very easy for me to say, but I have to admit it’s not something we did.
I felt embarrassed that we didn’t have enough money to look after our children and was ashamed to pipe up and ask for help from our nearest and dearest.
However, when we did end up telling, well, everyone about the troubles we were going through with money, our family were the first to step up and help – without making us feel guilty or that we were a failure. They were supportive and loving.
It’s a big step to ask people you know for help, but if they can, they will try to help.
Get free food
There are a few ways to get food when money has completely run out. One option is a food bank.
Food banks
A food bank is a charity that gives out food to people who need it. You don’t have to be on benefits to use one. People who work full time, part time, or are self-employed use food banks too.
Food banks exist to help when money runs out, and there’s nothing left for food.
In many areas, you’ll need a referral before you can use a food bank. This is normal and just helps them understand what support you need.
Referrals are often given by:
- Citizens Advice
- your GP or health worker
- your child’s school or a Sure Start centre
- Jobcentre Plus
- local support workers or charities
Some food banks are part of the Trussell network, and others are run independently, including by churches or community groups. Availability and rules can vary by area.
If you do use a food bank, you’ll usually be given enough food for a few days. Some also provide toiletries or basic household items, depending on what they have available.
If food banks feel confusing or overwhelming, our step-by-step guide to getting food help may be easier to follow: Can’t afford food? What help is available right now in the UK
Food sharing Olio app
Believe it or not, people give away unwanted food for free.
It may have come from a restaurant, café, allotment or a normal family home, but instead of letting food go to waste, people are happily letting others have it at no cost.
The Olio app is free to download and free to use.
It’s not got a massive user base in smaller towns, but if you live in a large town or city, you may find a good haul.
Have you spoken to your bill companies?
This won’t be right for everyone, but for some people it can help to talk to the companies you owe money to when money has completely run out.
This is not about ignoring bills or putting yourself at risk. Priority bills like rent or mortgage and council tax should always come first.
But if other household bills are making things impossible right now, it may help to explain your situation and ask what support is available.
Energy, water, and other companies can sometimes:
- spread payments over a longer period
- pause or reduce payments for a short time
- help you avoid extra charges
This won’t solve everything, and it may mean things are still tight later on. But for some people, it can create a little breathing space while they get back on their feet.
If bills are part of what’s making things feel impossible, this guide explains what help is available and what to do next if you can’t pay them.
What you shouldn’t do
If you’ve got no money for food, don’t panic.
There are plenty of things you can do to change your situation immediately and put food on the table.
If at all possible, you do not need to turn to high-interest payday loans or, worse still, a loan shark.
They will make your finances a whole lot worse and get you trapped in a bad debt cycle (not to mention that loan sharks are illegal).
Don’t do something that you’ll regret, like try to steal food. Your family will want you at home with them, not sitting at a police station. Even in desperate times, you have other options.
Help for tomorrow
Getting through today is the priority. If this page has helped you eat now or over the next few days, that matters.
When you’re ready, there is support available to help things feel more stable in the future.
If debt or bills are part of what’s making life hard, free advice can help you understand your options and take things one step at a time.
If you’d find it helpful, you’re also welcome to join our Reduce Your Supermarket Spend community over on Facebook.
Many people there are dealing with similar worries around food, bills, and day-to-day costs. You don’t have to post or explain anything. Reading along can be enough.
If you’d rather reach out privately, you can contact us, and we’ll do our best to point you in the right direction.
Take things at your own pace. You don’t have to sort everything at once.
If you’re struggling with other bills or money worries, you can find more calm, practical help in our Help & Support hub.
