Help from a partner agency

We work closely with around 80 local organisations. They often know our clients well and are best placed to make a referral on someone’s behalf — especially when needs go beyond food and clothing.

Agency referral

If you’ve reached your referral limit

Each person can have a maximum of 4 self-referral vouchers after which further vouchers need to come through an agency.

If you’ve reached the limit and still need support, a referral from an agency, including the ones below, will let us help further:

  • Winchester City Council (Housing or Income Services)
  • Hampshire County Council (Family Services)
  • Citizens Advice Winchester
  • CAP (Christians Against Poverty)
  • A2Dominion
  • Two Saints
  • Trinity Winchester

They can also help you look at other support that may be available to you.

If you’d rather not go through an agency, two community food pantries are open to anyone:

Who to call for what

Social housing tenants:
Contact Winchester City Council Housing Department or your housing association’s tenancy support team.

Homeless or vulnerably housed:
Reach out to Trinity Winchester (button below) or click here for The Beacon.

Private rented or owner-occupied homes, or if the above options aren’t suitable:
Winchester Citizens Advice can provide guidance and support.

Winchester Citizen’s Advice Bureau
Freephone – 0800 278 7861 – https://citizensadvicewinchester.org.uk
Free advice on every aspect of life, from benefits and employment to housing and debt management.

If you prefer, you can call us on 01962 864720 on Tuesdays and Fridays between 9 a.m. and 2 p.m. or come into one of our hubs and we can help you fix up an appointment.

Your local Housing Association
Through the Tenancy Support Team/Officer
Winchester City Council – Housing Team or Income Services Team – https://www.winchester.gov.uk/cost-of-living

Housing matters including homelessness
Email: homelessness@winchester.gov.uk – Duty Line 01962 848 163

Housing Benefits Team
01962 848 539 (Lines are open between 10am-12pm and 1pm-3pm)

Universal Credit
0800 328 5644

Council Tenants in rent arrears
housingincome@winchester.gov.uk or telephone 01962 848 205

Council Tax
01962 848 288 (Lines are open 9.30am – 4pm)
Make a claim for Council Tax Support online

Debt advice charities like CAP (Christians Against Poverty)
0800 328 0006 – https://capuk.org

HCC
https://www.hants.gov.uk/community/costofliving
Help and support is available from a number of services. This includes warm spaces in libraries to hot school meals and expert advice on reducing heating bills.

Clothing

We work with the Winchester Vineyard Church Storehouse so we can offer more than we could on our own.

Adult clothing is available from Penton Place without an appointment. Children’s and baby clothing or equipment goes through Storehouse — Mondays and Thursdays by appointment.

Storehouse: winchestervineyard.org/storehouse · 01962 863217 · storehouse@winchestervineyard.org

Partner agency links

If we can’t help, others can.

We support clients in Winchester city and the surrounding villages, including Alresford. If you live further out, the closest food bank to you will usually be the quickest route to help:

Andover
Alton
Basingstoke
Bishops Waltham / Wickham
Bordon
Denmead / Hambledon / Waterlooville
Eastleigh
Fareham
Fleet / Hook
Petersfield
Portsmouth
Romsey
Southampton