Food bank rules and regulations in the UK

Food banks play a vital role in our communities, providing food and other essentials to those most in need. Sadly, the ongoing impact of the UK’s cost-of-living crisis means there’s a growing demand for food banks and other related services. In 2023/24, the Trussell Trust distributed more than 3m emergency food parcels across the UK.

Although food banks are intended to be a temporary, short-term solution, some users may rely on them for much longer.

Deciding to set up a food bank in your area is an admirable choice, but in doing so, you must ensure you abide by the rules put in place to protect all involved.
While the rules for using a food bank can vary depending on individual factors like size, location and budget, some general food bank rules and regulations apply across the board here in the UK.

In this blog, we’ll look at some of the most important ones to be aware of if you run a food bank or similar emergency support service.

What are the rules for running a food bank?

Food bank eligibility

Many UK food banks operate via a referral system. Users will normally be referred by either:

• a professional or organisation (such as a social worker or charity representative)
• themselves (self-referral

Wherever a referral has come from, if you’re running a food bank or similar community hub, it is your responsibility to ensure the eligibility of everyone using the service. Food bank supplies can often be limited, so you’ll want to ensure that everyone gets what they need when they need it.

External referral agencies may also distribute vouchers that can be exchanged for food and groceries at food banks. These vouchers will often cover users for a certain number of visits during a set period, so you can keep track of eligibility before new referrals are required.

Client assessments

As food banks are not generally open to everyone, you’ll often need to assess referrals and users based on their current circumstances and income.

You may need to ask applicants for proof of their financial situation, which may involve viewing payslips or benefit statements or discussing recent events that have contributed to their situation—such as redundancy or illness.

These conversations can be difficult, so you must approach them with care and empathy. As tough as it can be, food banks exist to help those most in need, so it’s important that needs are assessed.

Accepting donations and food standards

Food banks are classed as charities and must follow strict hygiene and food safety regulations regarding the kinds of donations they can accept.

In the UK, food banks can typically only accept non-perishable items, such as:

• tinned food
• dry pasta (not fresh)
• rice
• cereal
• toiletries and sanitary products

Fresh produce such as meat or dairy is often not accepted due to its shorter shelf-life and storage requirements. However, depending on your facilities and storage capabilities, you may be able to accept these kinds of donations on a case-by-case basis.

Food safety for food banks is important. As such, food banks should avoid accepting products already opened or decanted into alternative packaging or containers, as safety and legitimacy are hard to guarantee.

Donations can be made by individuals or businesses (such as supermarkets), but under no circumstances must food banks accept donations of or distribute alcohol or cigarettes.

Distribution

Most food banks tend to provide food in parcel form. Ideally, each parcel should contain enough food and supplies for several days or up to a week—but this will depend on stock levels and donations.

If your food bank distributes parcels, you must endeavour to make sure each one can cover a user’s basic nutritional needs, with enough to cover a substantial breakfast, lunch, and dinner for several days.

If your food bank operates as more of a community shop, like organisations such as Mustard Tree, you’ll need to ensure you keep on top of eligibility, who is visiting, and the amount of items they are taking when they do.

Conduct and confidentiality

All food bank staff, volunteers, and clients should be respectful towards each other, and food banks should operate a zero-tolerance policy when it comes to inappropriate or abusive behaviour.

If you’re running a food bank, you should set an example with your behaviour and general conduct and make sure that any issues with clients or other staff members are resolved as quickly as possible.

Client confidentiality is another important part of running a food bank service. Individuals receiving help and assistance have the right to have their identities hidden and information handled sensitively.

Although there is nothing to be ashamed of or embarrassed about when using a food bank, remember that some people may have these kinds of feelings when doing so, so you must respect their privacy and be respectful at all times.

Specialist community insurance through Ripe

Once your food bank is set up and running, you may want to consider protecting it, along with yourself and staff, with insurance.

If you run a food bank, or any other kind of organisation in the community sector for that matter, you’ll likely face various risks on a daily basis.

However, sporting club, leisure and community insurance coming soon to Ripe is designed to safeguard against these risks, so you can focus more on making a positive impact in your local community.