Support for families
From free activities to free school meals, learn more about all the help available for families.
Free school meals
Find out if your child is eligible for free school meals and how to apply
Apply for free school meals - Essex County Council
Benefits and financial support
Help if you look after children or plan to have or adopt a child, includes Child Benefit. Find out what you could get.
Benefits and financial support for families - GOV.UK
Healthy Start
Healthy Start is an NHS scheme that helps women who are pregnant or have young children and are receiving benefits, buy foods such as milk or fruit.
Get help to buy food and milk (Healthy Start) - NHS
NHS prescriptions
You can buy prescription prepayment certificates (PPCs) from the NHS which may make your prescriptions cheaper.
Get a prescription prepayment certificate - GOV.UK
Help for Households
See what support is available to help with the cost of living and save money with our energy saving tips, including childcare costs.
Help for Households - Get government cost of living support
Social Outreach Service
If you are homeless or at risk of homelessness, or who have been affected by the criminal justice system the social outreach service (SOS) can offer you help.
Young carers
Helping young carers in their every day life with expert support, advice & carer breaks.
Buffy Bus
Buffy Bus provides pre-school children with an opportunity to play, socialise and have fun in comfortable and safe surroundings under the guidance of experienced playleaders. Mums, Dads, Grandparents and carers can relax and make friends within their own communities or just relax and enjoy seeing their children learning new skills and having fun.
Home Start Essex
Home Start Essex aims to give children the best possible start in life by supporting parents & caregivers.
Uttlesford Foodbank
Providing food and care parcels during times of crisis.
A referral to this service is needed and can be made by calling Customer Services on 01799 510510 or by emailing uconnect@uttlesford.gov.uk.
Touchpoint
TouchPoint Community Food Share: Helping to distribute produce that local supermarkets would otherwise dispose of but is still perfectly good to eat. Food is free to take and is the scheme is run to help save Free you money and the environment. The
Touchpoint Café: The TouchPoint Community Café is open every Thursday from 10am to 5pm, and every Friday from 8.30am to 12pm, and is a welcoming place to catch up with friends and relax. We serve a selection of hot and cold drinks and snacks, with hot food available on Thursdays between 12.30pm and 2.30pm, and free breakfast served on a Friday between 9am and 10am. Tea, coffee and squash are FREE, and cakes and snacks are available to buy. We also have a 'Pay it Forward' donation box if you would like to make a contribution.
View Touchpoint event calendar
Low cost activities
Help keep your family entertained and active this winter with the top low cost / no cost offers and activities running in Uttlesford.