Crisis and Resilience Fund

The Council has been given £3.38million from the Department for Work and Pensions (DWP) to provide short-term crisis support for vulnerable households facing emergencies, whilst building long-term financial stability.

The CRF runs from 1 April 2026 to 31 March 2029, replacing the Household Support Fund and Discretionary Housing Payments. 

Support across four main strands will be offered to help reach the Borough's most vulnerable households.

Crisis Payment

We provide emergency financial support for people in crisis, including same-day or 48-hour grants for essential items.

Visit the Crisis and Resilience Fund Crisis Payment Scheme page for more information.

Heating Oil Payment

Application-based discretionary support to help low-income households who use heating oil and need financial support due to increased global fuel costs. Distribution will be by payment transfer of £400 per household.

More details will follow about who may be eligible for support and how to apply.

Housing Payment

Financial assistance is available for households experiencing a shortfall in their housing costs, helping to prevent homelessness or housing instability.

Visit the Crisis and Resilience Fund Housing Payment Scheme page for more information.

Resilience Services

Services delivered by the Council or external providers aimed at improving financial resilience, stability, and independence across our communities.

This includes enhanced access to local welfare support, providing residents with access to savings support, responsible borrowing and budgeting advice, and free impartial debt advice to help vulnerable households struggling to pay priority debts.

Support for care leavers

A package of support is available for around 350 young people who have left care. This includes:

• a £200 voucher to help with the cost of living
• enhanced support in setting up home with essential household items
• use of an app providing a single, accessible digital platform to support transition to adulthood
• help with rent top-ups to bridge the gap between rent and services charges

Employment support for young people

We are providing top-up payments though the Council's Training and Employment Hub and Youth Trailblazer scheme to young people including those not in education, employment or training to help them into full-time, longer-term, regular work.

Additional support will be available through a match funding programme that promotes financial wellbeing, education, training, work and travel.

Adult Learning and Skills courses

We will be offering budgeting courses to help financially vulnerable residents build their confidence in handling household finances. Cookery courses will also be available to develop residents' knowledge and skills around food and nutrition, alongside financial education helping to reduce avoidable food costs. This will be targeted support through the crisis and housing payments schemes.

Additional support

The Council is working with The Junction Multibank to help tackle poverty across the Borough through the distribution of basic, yet essential, household items to families in need.

Find out more on The Junction Multibank website.

We are also providing low-energy cooking tools such as air fryers and slow cookers to help some low-income households save on their energy bills.

Community Coordination

Strengthening local communities by bringing together voluntary and community sector organisations to support individuals.

Community grant programme

An application-based scheme to encourage innovative bids from the local Voluntary, Community and Social Enterprise (VCSE) sector to provide resilience services is being developed. This will enable VCSE organisations to play a key role in the delivery of the CRF scheme.

More details will follow about the application process.

Other cost of living help and financial support available

We want to make sure that you and your family are aware of all the information and advice available. 

Visit our benefits and financial support webpage to access more information on the local support services available to help your family. These include:

• advice and support agencies
• applying for benefits
• benefits calculators to help you work out what benefits you're entitled to
• Council Tax
• food banks and The Bread and Butter Thing
• heating and energy support
• housing
• money and debt help
• support for disabilities and long term conditions

CRF is a small part of the overall support that the government is providing to households. Further information on the support available to help you with the cost of living, including income and disability benefits, bills and allowances, childcare, housing and travel can be found on the GOV.UK cost of living support webpage. You can also find information and support in our Here to Help booklet (PDF, 1 MB).