Food, help and support – whenever you need it

We’re doing everything we can to make sure you can get help, support and access to affordable food options if you need to self-isolate.

If you do have to go into self-isolation, please make contact with us so we can ensure you get the support you need.

Supporting you to quarantine when you arrive in the UK

If you are arriving from overseas and need to self-isolate for 14 days*, we’ll provide you with free arrivals packs including a bedding pack, a kitchen pack and an essential food box. We’ll then support you to access a range of food options plus our support services.

* Update: as of 11 December 2020 this advice has changed and you must now self-isolate for 10 days.

Free essential food boxes for self-isolating households

We’ve listened to our students and we’re now providing free essential food boxes to all self-isolating households from Wednesday 21 October. You’ll also receive essential cleaning products.

Weekly meal plans

We’ve also more than halved the cost of our weekly meal plans for self-isolating students. Our seven-day meal plan has been cut from £112 to £50 and our 14-day meal plan has been reduced from £220 to £100.

The meal plans provide self-isolating students with breakfast, lunch and evening meals delivered to your door.

As we’re changing our support for students we’re reimbursing the three students who have bought our weekly meal plans so far this term. We’re also reimbursing you if you’ve bought our essential food boxes since the start of term.

Supermarket deliveries direct to you

The meal plans are only one option available to you. If you prefer you can order your food shopping online from supermarkets and local shops.

We have worked closely with our local supermarkets to ensure a smooth ordering and delivery service is available to you. We’ve simplified the ordering process and you can access a wide range of delivery slots along with multiple drop-off points. There is also delivery to your door if you are a self-isolating student.

You can find contact details for all our local supermarkets on our self-isolation support webpage.

Just Eat at Essex

Our partnership with Just Eat means you can order food from Fusion between 5pm and 10pm Wednesday-Saturday, delivered to your door. Beef burgers start at £3.50 and pizzas at £5.

More about our Just Eat/Fusion delivery service on our website.

Our restaurants and cafes

Some of our food outlets are offering take away services and some eat-in spaces are available. We are operating with social distancing and with enhanced cleaning regimes, signage and hand sanitising stations. Find out more about our Colchester Campus eateries, our Southend Campus food offer, and food on campus at Loughton.

Our Essex Food Rewards offers multi-buy deals on a selected range of products bought in store as well as our multi buy deal on hot drinks. Buy nine get one free.

Online information

Check out our food and drink webpage for up-to-date information on all catering outlets and food delivery options. Our Students’ Union also has a range of shops and food and drinks on offer, find out more on their eat, drink, shop webpage.

Make contact if you are quarantining, self-isolating or need urgent support

We have a dedicated webpage with all the help and support you need if you are self-isolating or quarantining with us.

We’ll ask you to fill in our self-isolation form to help us ensure you have what you need and that you are well supported during your isolation period. Once we have all your details, a member of our wellbeing team will make contact with you to discuss the support you need and arrange for your ongoing support – all at the pace that’s right for you.

We’ll also make sure your department knows you’re isolating and will support you in your study needs both during and after your isolation period.

You can send any questions directly to our wellbeing team on wellbeing@essex.ac.uk and we are running daily wellbeing self-isolation drop-in sessions, too.

Take a look at our self-isolation support webpage for everything from how to self-isolate safely, to ordering food and groceries and seeking medical advice.