--- title: "Food bank charities UK — compare & choose | CharityCompare" description: "Compare food bank charities in the UK: their work, financial evidence and donation checks. Explore profiles and questions to ask before giving." source: https://www.charitycompare.org.uk/charities/food-banks retrieved: 2026-09-20T13:35:46.300Z license: "Charity data © Crown copyright, Open Government Licence v3.0" --- Quick answer ## How do I compare food bank charities? Food bank charities provide emergency food, while other food charities redistribute surplus food, run meals or offer advice. Compare the local service and operating charity, and confirm referral requirements before directing someone to a collection point. Start with the work ## What do food bank charities do? The same cause can involve very different services. Use these distinctions to choose what you want to support, then compare organisations doing similar work. 01 ### Emergency food banks Food parcels may be available through a referral or voucher process. **Evidence to look for**Check the local provider’s process, opening times, dietary arrangements and current needs. 02 ### Food redistribution and community meals Redistribution organisations may supply other groups rather than provide parcels directly to individuals. **Evidence to look for**Establish who receives food, how it is stored and how collections or meals work. 03 ### Advice and preventing hardship Some programmes combine food help with advice or support addressing underlying difficulties. **Evidence to look for**Ask about advice quality and household outcomes alongside parcels or meals provided. ## Choosing food bank charities to support Begin with the difference you want your donation to make. A useful shortlist brings together your priorities, the charity’s actual programme and evidence you can check. - ### 1. Match the organisation and appeal Check the registered name, charity number and official contact details on the profile and regulator link. Confirm that the appeal and payment destination belong to that organisation. Similar names, local branches and international affiliates can represent different legal entities. - ### 2. Read the evidence for the programme Look for a defined goal, the people or places reached, the reporting period and what changed. Ask whether the figures count unique people, repeated contacts or activities. Read limitations and follow-up, and distinguish a charity’s own report from an independent evaluation. - ### 3. Compare finances in context Check the accounts year, income, expenditure, reserves where disclosed and current registration context. Research grants, direct services and campaigning have different cost structures. Missing data does not mean zero spending, and a low overhead ratio does not prove stronger results. - ### 4. Check the terms of your gift Establish whether a donation supports general work or a named appeal. Check restrictions, what happens if plans change and any ongoing commitment before giving. Follow a trusted official link and keep the confirmation so you can refer back to the stated terms. [How to read impact evidence](https://www.charitycompare.org.uk/guides/how-to-read-charity-impact)[Understand Clarity Scores](https://www.charitycompare.org.uk/methodology)[Find practical support](https://www.charitycompare.org.uk/find-support) ## Sources and selection notes Organisation descriptions below support the attributed examples and provider information. The comparison questions are CharityCompare’s editorial guidance. Financial data comes from the dated filings identified on each profile. Read our [editorial responsibilities and interests](https://www.charitycompare.org.uk/editorial-team) and [request a sourced correction](https://www.charitycompare.org.uk/contact). - [Trussell: local referral arrangements](https://www.trussell.org.uk/contact-us/become-a-referral-organisation) Financial evidence ## Compare food bank charity ratings 77 currently rated matches, showing the 12 highest Clarity Scores. Ordered by financial and disclosure score, with equal scores listed alphabetically. This is not a ranking of impact. Payment never changes scores. Matches use registered names and reported activities; confirm the particular programme on each profile. | Charity | Score | Cause spend | Income | Scope | | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | | [SUFRA - NW LONDON](https://www.charitycompare.org.uk/charity/sufra-nw-london) | 100 | 96% | £1.7m | Local | | [THE ZINK PROJECT CIO](https://www.charitycompare.org.uk/charity/the-zink-project-cio) | 99 | 89% | £561k | Local | | [SALISBURY FOODBANK](https://www.charitycompare.org.uk/charity/salisbury-foodbank) | 98 | 98% | £592k | Local | | [BLACKBURN FOODBANK](https://www.charitycompare.org.uk/charity/blackburn-foodbank) | 97 | 100% | £959k | Local | | [BRISTOL NORTH WEST FOODBANK](https://www.charitycompare.org.uk/charity/bristol-north-west-foodbank) | 97 | 100% | £719k | Local | | [GLOUCESTER FOODBANK](https://www.charitycompare.org.uk/charity/gloucester-foodbank) | 97 | 100% | £561k | Local | | [REDEEMER WORTHING LTD](https://www.charitycompare.org.uk/charity/redeemer-worthing-ltd) | 97 | 100% | £556k | Local | | [COMMUNITY LIFE TRUST](https://www.charitycompare.org.uk/charity/community-life-trust) | 96 | 100% | £793k | Local | | [INTO THE COMMUNITY](https://www.charitycompare.org.uk/charity/into-the-community) | 95 | 74% | £578k | Local | | [OASIS COMMUNITY HUB : WATERLOO](https://www.charitycompare.org.uk/charity/oasis-community-hub-waterloo) | 95 | 100% | £2.6m | Local | | [REDBRIDGE FOODBANK](https://www.charitycompare.org.uk/charity/redbridge-foodbank) | 95 | 100% | £724k | Local | | [THE BIG DIFFERENCE](https://www.charitycompare.org.uk/charity/the-big-difference) | 95 | 78% | £722k | UK-wide | [Build your own side-by-side comparison](https://www.charitycompare.org.uk/compare-charities) Explore further ## More food bank charity profiles 383 additional basic profiles match our registered-name search, with up to 12 shown alphabetically. These profiles do not have a Clarity Score. A name match alone does not establish relevance, service availability or effectiveness. - [A Helping Paw - Pet Food BankRegistered charity № 1201480](https://www.charitycompare.org.uk/charity/a-helping-paw-pet-food-bank) - [Aberdeenshire North FoodbankRegistered charity № SC045884](https://www.charitycompare.org.uk/charity/aberdeenshire-north-foodbank) - [Abergavenny FoodbankRegistered charity № 1215581](https://www.charitycompare.org.uk/charity/abergavenny-foodbank) - [Alive FoodbankRegistered charity № 1198585](https://www.charitycompare.org.uk/charity/alive-foodbank) - [Alnwick District Food BankRegistered charity № 1173294](https://www.charitycompare.org.uk/charity/alnwick-district-food-bank) - [Alston Moor Food BankRegistered charity № 1204949](https://www.charitycompare.org.uk/charity/alston-moor-food-bank) - [Amble FoodbankRegistered charity № 1196268](https://www.charitycompare.org.uk/charity/amble-foodbank) - [Animal Foodbank UKRegistered charity № 1208712](https://www.charitycompare.org.uk/charity/animal-foodbank-uk) - [Antrim FoodbankRegistered charity № NIC111206](https://www.charitycompare.org.uk/charity/antrim-foodbank) - [Arden FoodbankRegistered charity № 1214819](https://www.charitycompare.org.uk/charity/arden-foodbank) - [Arnold FoodbankRegistered charity № 1170229](https://www.charitycompare.org.uk/charity/arnold-foodbank) - [Atherton & Leigh FoodbankRegistered charity № 1153333](https://www.charitycompare.org.uk/charity/atherton-leigh-foodbank) [Search the charity directory](https://www.charitycompare.org.uk/search?q=Food%20bank) ## Food bank charities: your questions answered Do all food banks require a referral?+Processes differ. Trussell describes referral arrangements through local organisations for food banks in its community. Check your chosen food bank’s own process; do not assume that every independent food provider uses the same system. Should I donate food or money to a food bank?+Check the local charity’s current request list. Requested items can meet immediate shortages, while money can help cover purchasing, storage and running costs. Contact the provider before bringing large quantities or items requiring special storage. What do food bank charity ratings tell me?+CharityCompare Clarity Scores summarise financial and disclosure measures from the dated filings shown on each profile. They do not establish programme effectiveness, clinical quality or the suitability of a service for an individual. Read the accounts period, missing-data notes and regulatory context before using a score. How are charities included in this comparison?+Rated profiles are matched against registered names and activities reported on the register; basic profiles are matched by registered name. These automated matches can miss relevant work or include a different focus. Our 77 rated matches and 383 additional basic matches are not an official UK-wide count. Check each charity’s actual activities.