Government box: My box has arrived and... - Lung Conditions C...

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Government box

Jaybird19 profile image
45 Replies

My box has arrived and just left on door step. I cannot eat all that in a week. 2 kg of pots and i eat 1 small potato a day. Plus rice and past very large tin of peaches and 3 tins tomato soup . I mini tablet orange scented soap and a container of Lynx body wash. Much more besides . Dont want to be ungrateful but surely nobody could eat all that. Will have to phone and see if i can keep the supermarket priority and cancel the box Had the phone call from the council on friday. I have the box but not the letter as post has dropped to about 2 deliveries per week!

2 Loo rolls welcome. March - last time i went shopping there were none to be had.

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Jaybird19 profile image
Jaybird19
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45 Replies
corriena profile image
corriena

Its good you have more than enough to eat, any extra could be passed on to somone elce in need or given to a food charity.

Jaybird19 profile image
Jaybird19 in reply to corriena

Thanks yes have done that now must cancel it

katieoxo60 profile image
katieoxo60 in reply to Jaybird19

It takes a few weeks to cancel the government hamper , but as said you can give it to a charity to help the more needy . I got a message when mine cancelled saying it should not alter your priority slot with supermarket and a number to ring if you get any problems or need the food hamper restarted. Hope that helps.

Jaybird19 profile image
Jaybird19 in reply to katieoxo60

Yes thank you

They can’t account for different appetites though. Some people might well eat 2kg potatoes a week. Personally I rarely eat them, or pasta, so when I googled & discovered what the boxes contained it was an easy decision to decline them. Now I’ve got regular supermarket deliveries anyway, thank goodness. I’m sure you won’t lose priority if you cancel the box.

I’m only getting post about every 10 days. I got lots of cards AFTER my birthday! I’ve had same lovely postman for 35yrs so am worried he’s sick

Jaybird19 profile image
Jaybird19 in reply to

10 days and i complain about 1 otr 2 a week. Thank good ness we have e mails.

Pass what you don't need to neighbours, or do you have a food bank nearby? Think of others who might be in need, but don't get the help you are receiving.

Joy123 profile image
Joy123 in reply to

Cook them, mash them, freeze them! Joy.

Jaybird19 profile image
Jaybird19 in reply to

Yes thanks done that .now must cancel it

Trishe profile image
Trishe in reply to

That's what I did, the things we didn't eat or like we passed on to the neighbours who were grateful for it.

Tia4209 profile image
Tia4209

I have tried cancelling mine but I can’t so I donate the whole lot to a local food bank. They pick it up from me

Jaybird19 profile image
Jaybird19 in reply to Tia4209

Why cant you. . Do you lose the supermarket option? . Most went to a nearby neighbour .

Trishe profile image
Trishe in reply to Tia4209

You re-register oñ the gov.uk die and answer the questions again, but answering you have someone to get shopping fo you, I did this last week, and didn't then get s parcel this week, hopefully now it will have gone to someone that needs it.

Jaybird19 profile image
Jaybird19 in reply to Trishe

People going back to work now and not able to help as much, that is except hairdressers. Lucky person who knows a hairdresser.

Kristicats profile image
Kristicats

Do you have anyone nearby that could use some of the items?At least it won’t be wasted then.

Jaybird19 profile image
Jaybird19 in reply to Kristicats

Thanks yes done that . Now have to cancel it

hypercat54 profile image
hypercat54

I could probably eat all that 🙄 x

Jaybird19 profile image
Jaybird19 in reply to hypercat54

You are joking! It was a very large box.

Jaybird19 profile image
Jaybird19

Oh i wouldnt waste them ! Most went to a retired neighbour who collected them straight away . I hsve to sort out how i cancel the next box without losing the supermarket option. A neighour helps at present but i have now run out of cash and cheques are not wanted by anybody except the newsagent . I even pay for my 4 bottles of milk delivered weekly by direct debit ! The neighbour works usually but not now and gets food for his and his wife s parents so mine as well is an extra load . He will be going back to work sometime so i am anticipating that . I was very lucky that he offered as i have not been out since March. and would have been very short of food if relying on the government .

My option is to continue but donate to food banķ. I dont know which is best. I think the food bank so will find out contact number for them but i didnt want the box left outside the front door and i couldnt move it. It is a lot of food. Much more than i ever expected.

Troilus profile image
Troilus

I cancelled my government box. You still keep your supermarket priority. I did it by revisiting the government website. I got another two boxes, I think. They then sent me an email saying that they were cancelling the box, that it did not affect my priority status with the supermarket and that I could reregister for deliveries at any time.

Jaybird19 profile image
Jaybird19 in reply to Troilus

Thats much better. Thanks

There’s no correlation between priority delivery slots and food boxes, you won’t lose out: both local and national government would prefer you to use the supermarket delivery, as it doesn’t cost them anything, and the spending aids the precarious economy. We had to go down the food box route for the first month because we couldn’t get a slot with anyone for love nor money, but once I had that sorted, I phoned the local authority and cancelled. Received another box despite that, but refused it at the doorstep - the guy was fine about it and said he’d make a note. Same thing the following week with the same reply from the gent delivering, but the message seemed to get back after that and the food boxes stopped.

Jaybird19 profile image
Jaybird19 in reply to

Thanks everyones experience helps. Just got to get my card accepted now.

Your priority slots are safe but cancelling is a pain. You have to get hold of th e driver/delivery person and ask them to take you off the list. It seems to be the only way to cancel them.

Jaybird19 profile image
Jaybird19 in reply to

Thanks I live upstairs and he was gone .!

AngieB72 profile image
AngieB72

The only way I could cancel my box was by talking to the local council. Going on the website and talking to the delivery driver didn’t help. Any food we didn’t need our local Covid community group picked up to take to a food bank. All sorted now but it did take nearly a month!

Jaybird19 profile image
Jaybird19 in reply to AngieB72

Thanks , I learn by others experience and "commonsense" That is a very flexible word now!

Croydonia profile image
Croydonia

I phoned and cancelled my food box, but it didn’t affect my supermarket delivery slots. I thought the selection of food in the boxes was very good, but was happy to let someone else benefit instead.

Jaybird19 profile image
Jaybird19 in reply to Croydonia

Think it depends on packer working from basic list and what they hsve nearest to hand . I kept some tins and pack of biscuits . Retired neighbour had rest.

gingermusic profile image
gingermusic

I managed to cancel the box but my supermarket slot was not affected so that was good. Takes about 3 weeks after cancelling before delivery of the box actually stops. I just use to share my contents with neighbours and friends.

Jaybird19 profile image
Jaybird19 in reply to gingermusic

Thanks yes it does seem to be a problem

I managed to finally cancel my box, but only by going to the government website and re-filling out the vulnerability form saying I did not need help with food. I then got a text from Gov UK telling me the box had been cancelled but this would not affect my priority supermarket deliveries. So far so good.

It seems obvious to me that if they have arranged priority supermarket deliveries for you, you don't need a government food box. Such a waste when there are people going starving.

Jaybird19 profile image
Jaybird19 in reply to

Thanks M aybe they are thinking of those older who dont use cards to pay on line giving the option

gingermusic profile image
gingermusic

I was amazed how it was always 3 tins of tomato soup every week my cupboard is full of the stuff and I am not a lover of it. Also never eat pasta so that always had to go as well so whilst for a while it was most appreciated the contents were not really that well thought out

Jaybird19 profile image
Jaybird19 in reply to gingermusic

No i dont like that soup either. That must be on recognised standard UK menu ! I was surprised to get basmati rice , not just basic rice but basmati , which i do prefer.

Gingerapple profile image
Gingerapple

Hi,

I have my box picked up by the local hub and it gets distributed between people who have very little, whom the government has paid little attention to. So don't cancel your box, get in touch with your local council/hub and gave it collected, they need it! Thanks, Jaybird!

🤗🌹🎈

Riversong77 profile image
Riversong77

All this time i never got any priority booking. I really didn't want the box of food which i would have given to the church but i think my vulnerable person status got lost. Still my 12 weeks is almost up and we have had no deaths for 3 weeks here so might just venture out myself.

Jaybird19 profile image
Jaybird19 in reply to Riversong77

I didnt hear and was told to phone doctor. Did you do this ? I was told that they changed the qualifying definitions but he asked questions about abilitiès and i was put on list.,

Try phoning doctor . Do you get help at present from añybody . ? Dont risk going out because there are no deaths locally. There are many people who are infectious but show no symptoms . A mask will not protect you. It protects others from you ! It is not good having to stay in especially if you havent a garden .

Take care

O2Trees profile image
O2Trees

It all sounds very carb-heavy Jaybird. Im glad Ive never registered for the government food parcels as I wouldnt eat the rice, pasta, tinned peaches etc etc. Some of that I like but eating hardly any carbs is how I control my borderline diabetes.

Glad your food is being well used :)

Jaybird19 profile image
Jaybird19 in reply to O2Trees

I suppose aim is to fill the stomach somehow

O2Trees profile image
O2Trees in reply to Jaybird19

I guess you're right!

Bardear profile image
Bardear

i have had this box for a dew weeks. The idea is great but the contents are very repetitive. Have had the identical things/soup flavours for the last 4 weeks - last week the loose tea bags and coffee sachets were in their usual plastic bag BUT the Lynx shower gel and soap which looks like hotel/gift box soap was in the same bag .... good job the Lynx top stayed closed.... The fresh carrots do not last overnight I'm afraid and the mandarins a little longer. Our seem to go mouldy after a few days even though I wipe and dry them.

It would be nice to have some LADIES shower gel/shampoo/toothpaste even and my husband would really really appreciate some disposable razors. I am not being ungrateful in any way but we are shielding and that is why we get the box. Appearance is also important particularly at this time.

We live in sheltered housing and anything we don't need goes on a table in the foyer and folks help themselves to what they need so it doesn't get wasted in any way.

Jaybird19 profile image
Jaybird19

The idea is good but te contents are a bit of a disappointment for some

Balloo profile image
Balloo

Hia I get boxes too nothing I can eat tins out date wroten veg ok keep loo roles tuna for my cat . My carer takes to food bank . They sort tried cancel web sight don’t work . Ridiculous. No wonder. People. Sick this country. If that what gov thinks a 70 year old vegetarian.with copd & Ibs fibromyalgia. Eats . !!

Jaybird19 profile image
Jaybird19 in reply to Balloo

As i sàid the idea is good but the results not, and no feed back as usual

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