£15k grants available for Stoke-on-Trent groups tackling food poverty

Community organisations in Stoke-on-Trent can now apply for grants of between £5,000 and £15,000 to run projects tackling food poverty.

The new Food Support Fund is being paid for through Stoke-on-Trent City Council's Crisis and Resilience Fund.

It is aimed at helping people facing financial hardship to access nutritious food and practical support.

Applications must be submitted electronically by midnight on Monday 2nd November 2026.

Who can apply

The fund is open to charities, voluntary and community organisations, social enterprises, schools, food banks and health partners operating within Stoke-on-Trent.

Projects must mainly benefit people living in the city.

They must also support people experiencing financial hardship and be delivered by March 2027.

What the money can be used for

Funding can support food banks and food parcels, community pantries, community kitchens and hot meal services.

It can also pay for cooking classes and food skills sessions, or for cooking equipment provided alongside advice and support.

Other projects offering crisis or preventative food support can also apply.

What the council says

Councillor Sarah Hill, Stoke-on-Trent City Council's Cabinet Member for Finance, Anti-Poverty, Governance and Corporate Services, said: "We know that many individuals and families across Stoke-on-Trent continue to feel the impact of rising living costs, and for some, putting food on the table remains a real challenge."

"This new Food Support Fund is about strengthening the fantastic network of community organisations already working hard to support local people. By investing in projects that provide immediate help while also building skills, resilience and access to healthy food, we can make a real difference to residents experiencing financial hardship."

Food poverty across the UK

The launch comes as new analysis suggests record numbers of people across the UK could be at risk of needing a food bank.

Anti-poverty charity Trussell has estimated that more than 9.1 million people could be in severe hardship, and so at risk of needing a food bank, in the year to March 2029.

That would be made up of an estimated 6.2 million adults and 2.9 million children.

It would potentially surpass the previous record high of 9.07 million in 2025/26.

The modelling also takes into account policies including the removal of the two-child benefit limit and the uprating of universal credit.

Trussell's figures suggest just under nine million people could be in severe hardship in the year to March 2027, followed by a little over nine million in the year to March 2028.

Helen Barnard, Trussell's director of policy and research, said: "Rising costs in the coming months, especially for energy, are likely to mean more people will find it difficult to afford essentials like food and heating."

A Government spokesperson said: "Household incomes are up 5% in real terms, and we're continuing to ease cost-of-living pressures including raising the national minimum wage and suspending tariffs on everyday staples, leading to lower prices at the till."

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