It covers the different kinds of food support, like food banks, pantries and social supermarkets. It also covers help with money and bills, and food safety.
Use the search box to find a word, or pick a letter to jump to it. If a word is missing, simply Get in touch and we’ll add it.
Search across every term and definition, or narrow the list by category or first letter. Dimmed letters have no entries.
First letter
No matching terms.
- Benefits check
- A check to find out if you could get money or help you are not claiming yet. read source
- Cash-first approach
- Helping people get enough money to buy their own food, so they do not need a food bank. read source
- Citizens Advice Darlington, Redcar and Cleveland
- The local Citizens Advice. It gives free help with money, benefits, debt and housing in Darlington, Redcar and Cleveland. read source
- Community cooking session
- A group where you learn to cook cheap, healthy meals, and often eat them together.
- Community fridge
- A fridge in a community space where anyone can take or leave spare food for free. read source
- Community growing space
- A shared garden where local people grow fruit and vegetables together.
- CLT Community land trust
- A local group that owns land or buildings and runs them for the good of the community. read source
- Community meal
- A free or cheap hot meal you can eat with other people at a community place.
- CTR Council Tax Reduction
- A discount on your council tax if you are on a low income. read source
- CRF Crisis and Resilience Fund
- Government money that councils use to help people on a low income who hit a money crisis or can't afford the basics. read source
- Eco shop
- A low-cost shop selling spare food that would otherwise be thrown away. read source
- FareShare
- A charity that collects spare food from shops and factories and passes it to local groups. read source
- Food allergens
- Foods some people react badly to, like nuts or milk. Places that give out food must say if their food contains them. read source
- Food bank
- A place that gives free emergency food to people in a crisis. You usually need a voucher from a support worker. read source
- Food bank voucher
- A note from a support worker that lets you get food from a food bank. Services marked 'Voucher needed' on the Food Power Together food map ask for one. read source
- Food co-op
- A group of people who club together to buy food in bulk, so it costs less. read source
- Food hygiene rating
- A score from 0 to 5 that shows how clean and safe a place that serves food is. read source
- Food insecurity
- Not being sure you can afford or get enough good food. read source
- Food pantry
- A food club. You pay a small amount each week and choose food worth a lot more. read source
- Food parcel
- A bag of food from a food bank, with enough to make meals for a few days. read source
- Food partnership
- A group of local organisations working together so everyone can get good food. Food Power Together is the food partnership for Redcar and Cleveland. read source
- Food system
- Everything that gets food from the field to your plate, and what happens to what is left.
- FSM Free school meals
- Free school dinners for any child whose family gets Universal Credit, for children whose families get some other benefits, and for every child in Reception to Year 2. read source
- Fuel poverty
- When a family cannot afford to heat their home properly, often because the home is hard to keep warm. read source
- Gift Aid
- If you pay UK tax and say yes to Gift Aid, the charity gets an extra 25p from the government for every £1 you give. read source
- Healthy Start
- A free NHS payment card for families on some benefits, to buy milk, fruit and vegetables for young children. read source
- HAF Holiday Activities and Food programme
- Free holiday clubs with healthy meals for children who get free school meals. read source
- Holiday hunger
- When children go hungry in the school holidays because there are no school dinners.
- HSF Household Support Fund
- Government money that councils used (2021 to March 2026) to help families in need pay for food, energy and water. read source
- IFAN Independent Food Aid Network
- A network that links up local food banks that are not part of Trussell. read source
- Independent food bank
- A food bank run by a local group on its own, not as part of a big national network. read source
- Pension Credit
- Extra money for older people on a low income. Getting it can help you get other support too. read source
- RCBC Redcar and Cleveland Borough Council
- The local council for the Redcar and Cleveland area.
- RCVDA Redcar and Cleveland Voluntary Development Agency
- The local charity that supports voluntary and community groups across Redcar & Cleveland. Co-convenes Food Power Together and hosts the partnership.
- Social supermarket
- A shop selling food and basics at low prices, often for members.
- Surplus food
- Food that is still fine to eat but would be thrown away, so it is given away or sold cheaply instead. read source
- SFP Sustainable Food Places
- A national network that links food partnerships across the UK. read source
- Tees Valley
- The area made up of five council areas: Middlesbrough, Redcar & Cleveland, Stockton-on-Tees, Hartlepool and Darlington.
- TVCA Tees Valley Combined Authority
- The body led by the Tees Valley Mayor that works across all five Tees Valley council areas on things like transport, jobs and skills. read source
- TVRA Tees Valley Rural Action
- A charity that supports villages, rural communities and community groups across the Tees Valley. Co-convenes Food Power Together.
- Trussell
- A national charity that supports a big network of food banks. read source
- UC Universal Credit
- The main benefit for people of working age who are on a low income or out of work. It is paid monthly. read source
- Use-by and best-before dates
- 'Use by' means do not eat it after that date. 'Best before' means it is still fine to eat after the date, but may not be as nice. read source
- VCFSE Voluntary, Community, Faith and Social Enterprise
- Charities, community groups, faith groups and social enterprises: groups that exist to help people, not to make money for owners.
- Volunteer
- Someone who gives their time to help, without being paid.
- Warm space
- A free, warm place to go in winter, often with a hot drink and company.