POLICY PAPERS
Our policy paper to inform the Government’s development of a new Crisis & Resilience Fund was shared with Sustain: The Alliance of Food & Farming as part of their consultation with the Department of Work & Pensions and was shared publicly in December 2025.
In this paper, we call for the CRF to be used to pilot a number of Food Bank Free Places as a mechanism for ending widespread mass dependency on emergency food parcels.
Recommendations for the Crisis & Resilience Fund, December 2025
● Fund pilots in a range of representative areas with strong food partnerships and active local authority engagement.
● Support the development of expected standards for those involved in food support and the training needed to embed them.
● Prioritise cash or vouchers over supermarket food purchases to maximise dignity and choice for recipients.
● Pair crisis payments with integrated holistic support services addressing benefits, housing, health, and employment.