The Welwyn Hatfield Borough Council has warned residents in Welwyn Garden City, Hertfordshire, that essential online upgrades starting on 27 February 2026 could delay access to foodbank vouchers and benefit services. The outage is expected to affect several digital tools that people use to request emergency help or manage their local accounts.
While the council carries out this work, the benefits portal and services for Council Tax and Business Rates will be offline for six days until 5 March 2026. Other online features, such as planning registers and forms to report missed bins or pay for garden waste, will be unavailable for a shorter period of up to 48 hours.
Because many local foodbanks require a voucher or a referral from the council, these technical upgrades could cause delays for those needing emergency food. Residents who are unable to use the online portal during this time are advised to call the council directly on 01707 357000 or visit local community hubs to speak with staff in person.
The Hatfield Foodbank at Gracemead House is only open for collections on Tuesdays from 11.30am to 2pm. In Welwyn Garden City, the New Zion Christian Fellowship foodbank is open on Wednesday mornings from 9am to 11am. Additional support in the community is also provided by the Open Heavens Christian Centre and the Twelve Apostles Church.
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