Where Can I Find Food Banks in Brighton & Hove?
A friendly guide for Brighton Girls who’re struggling to afford food
Living in Brighton and Hove can be great fun, but it’s also becoming more expensive. For many women in our community, the cost of living is rising faster than incomes, and that means everyday basics like food are harder to cover.
If you’re finding yourself worried about your next meal, you’re absolutely not alone and you do have places to turn to for help in a safe, respectful way.
The Brighton and Hove Food Partnership have a whole directory map of food support and crisis services to help.
What’s available and how it works
The good news is there’s a dedicated hub run by the Brighton & Hove Food Partnership that brings together information about emergency food services across the city. You can visit the page here:
👉 Accessing Emergency Food in Brighton & Hove
Here’s a breakdown of what you’ll find:
If you need help today, you can call Impact Initiatives 01273 322 950 or email food.access@impact-initiatives.org.uk for friendly advice.
A map and directory of food-support projects across the city, searchable by day, area or type of service.
Definitions of the types of support available:
Food banks – you’ll normally need a referral from a professional or agency, and then you receive a bag of food (often for around three days) and sometimes toiletries.
Affordable food shops and schemes, community cafés and meals, and community fridges or pantries all offer different levels of support depending on your need and situation.
Leaflets are available in multiple languages, and interpreters can be arranged.
There’s also guidance for those who are pregnant, students, older residents, or housebound.
How to use the hub (step-by-step)
Visit the Brighton & Hove Food Partnership’s emergency food page.
If it’s urgent, call 01273 322 950 or send an email to speak to someone who can help.
Use the searchable map or list to find your nearest food bank or food-support option. You can filter by area (Brighton or Hove), by day of week, or by service type (for example, food bank vs pantry).
Check whether you need a referral. For many food banks you’ll need one, which can come from your GP, teacher, community leader or a support organisation.
If you’re not sure which option is right for you, the hub also lists affordable food shops, pantries and community meal projects that provide longer-term help.
Tips & reassurance
You don’t have to be homeless or unemployed to ask for help. Many women facing low income, unstable hours or rising rent turn to these services.
Bringing ID or proof of circumstance can help, but don’t let uncertainty stop you — the team can guide you through the process.
If you’re doing this for a friend or neighbour, you can support them by finding the right contact details and helping them make the first call.
Pair this support with local money-advice or benefits checks to make sure you’re accessing everything available to you.
Sharing this information is an act of community. Many Brighton girls benefit when we look out for each other — this is a safe place to start.
Your next step
If you’re feeling squeezed by the cost of living and need help today or soon, click the link below and take the step.