New: the free 12-step MobCater startup guide is now in the app. Open the app →

Can a Charity Serve Free Food to the Homeless from a Trailer in a Public Car Park?

by Clive
(Kent)

Charity food trailer in a UK car park

Charity food trailer in a UK car park

We are a charity outreaching to homeless, needy, vulnerable.
One of the activities we are wanting to start doing is regularly provide free meals to the homeless.
Do we need planning permission/license to operate from a trailer in a public car park?
If yes, could we do it on private land without permission?

Comments for Can a Charity Serve Free Food to the Homeless from a Trailer in a Public Car Park?

Average Rating starstarstarstarstar

Click here to add your own comments

Jun 18, 2026
Rating
starstarstarstarstar 		Can a Charity Serve Free Food to the Homeless from a Trailer in a Public Car Park?
by: MobCater

What you are setting out to do is a genuinely good thing, Clive, and the encouraging news is that giving food away rather than selling it makes part of this simpler than it first looks. The trap most charities fall into is assuming that because the meals are free, none of the usual rules apply. A few still do, so let me walk you through them.

Start with the difference between selling and giving away. A street trading licence, or street trading consent as most councils call it, only covers the sale of food in the street. Since you are handing meals out for nothing, you are not street trading in the legal sense, so that particular licence almost certainly does not apply to you. That clears one of the bigger hurdles straight away.

What does still apply is food registration, and this is the part people miss. Under food law, any group that prepares and serves food on a regular, organised basis counts as a food business, even a charity giving meals away for free. So you will need to register with the Environmental Health team at your local council, ideally at least 28 days before you start, and follow the basic hygiene rules around temperature control, allergens and clean handling. Registration is free, and your EHO would far rather help a charity get it right than pull you up later. The Safer Food, Better Business pack from the FSA is a free, plain English guide that covers exactly what is expected.

Then there is the public car park. Public does not mean free to use however you like. That land belongs to someone, usually the council or a private operator, and you would need their written permission to station a trailer and serve from it. Setting up regularly in the same spot can also count as a change of use of the land in planning terms, which is the planning department's call, so a quick word with them is worth it too.

On your last question, private land is no different in principle. You still need the permission of whoever owns it, you cannot simply use a piece of private land that is not yours, and the food registration still stands. Many outreach groups solve all of this neatly by teaming up with a church, community centre or supermarket that offers its car park and helps with the permissions. I would also take out public liability insurance even though you are not charging, as it is inexpensive and protects the good work you are doing.

All the best

David

Disclaimer: This is general guidance for the UK. Rules for charity and community food provision vary between councils, and food registration and planning requirements can change, so always confirm with your local Environmental Health team and the Food Standards Agency before you start.

Try the free MobCater App, our startup checklist and guide walks you through every step: https://www.mobcater.co.uk/mobile-catering.html

Click here to add your own comments

Join in and write your own page! It's easy to do. How? Simply click here to return to Mobile Catering Licence .

Your first trading day is closer than you think

Start free today with the 12-step guide, and skip the trial and error most new caterers learn the hard way.

Start the free 12-step guide