Updated: 1 November 2026
If you are struggling to afford essentials such as energy, water, food, housing costs or basic household items, your local council may be able to help through the Crisis and Resilience Fund.
The Crisis and Resilience Fund, often shortened to CRF, started in England on 1 April 2026 and is funded through to 31 March 2029. It is designed to help low-income households facing a financial shock and to prevent people from falling further into crisis.
For 2026/27, the government has allocated around £858 million to English local authorities through the fund.
Unlike some benefit schemes, there is no single national income cut-off for Crisis Payments. Councils decide how their local schemes work, including who qualifies, how people apply and what type of support is offered.
You also do not have to be receiving benefits to ask for help. GOV.UK says the fund is aimed at people who are vulnerable or cannot afford essential costs, whether or not they receive benefits.
If you already receive benefits, a payment from the Crisis and Resilience Fund does not reduce those benefits.
Use the checker below to see which support route is most relevant to you. It cannot guarantee an award because councils set their own local eligibility rules.
Crisis and Resilience Fund Support Checker
Answer these questions to get a practical next step. Your answers stay in your browser and are not sent to UK Home Saver.
Important: this is an information checker, not an official eligibility decision. Local councils set their own rules.
What Is the Crisis and Resilience Fund?
The Crisis and Resilience Fund is a government-funded local welfare programme for England.
It is intended to provide a safety net for low-income households that experience a sudden financial shock and to help households build financial resilience so smaller problems do not develop into larger crises.
The fund operates from 1 April 2026 to 31 March 2029.
For the 2026/27 financial year, the government’s grant determination allocates £858,004,578 to local authorities in England.
The money is ringfenced for Crisis and Resilience Fund purposes, but councils have significant discretion over how they design their local schemes.
Who Can Get Help?
The national guidance says the fund is intended to support a wide range of low-income households that have experienced a financial shock or are at risk of entering crisis.
A financial shock can include a sudden unexpected cost or a drop in income that puts pressure on a household budget.
Examples could include an unexpected household bill, an essential appliance breaking down, a sudden drop in earnings, an urgent energy or water cost, an emergency housing expense or another essential cost that a household cannot reasonably meet.
However, councils decide their own local eligibility criteria. One council may use different income thresholds, application limits or evidence requirements from another.
You Do Not Have to Be on Benefits
This is one of the most important rules.
GOV.UK states that you do not have to be receiving benefits to get help from your local council through the Crisis and Resilience Fund.
The national guidance also says Crisis Payments are not limited to households receiving benefits.
A council can consider low income, household circumstances, the financial shock you are facing, your available resources and other local criteria.
Will a Crisis and Resilience Fund Payment Affect Benefits?
GOV.UK says that if you already receive benefits, they will not be affected because you receive a payment from the Crisis and Resilience Fund.
What Can the Fund Help Pay For?
The exact support available varies by council, but official guidance allows a wide range of essential needs to be supported.
Energy, gas, electricity and water
Crisis support can help with essential utilities such as electricity, gas, water, heating fuel, oil and other utilities needed for a minimum acceptable standard of living.
Food
Councils can use the fund to support food and essential sustenance, including items such as baby milk or formula.
Essential household items
The official framework includes support for essentials such as clothing and shoes, school uniform, hygiene products, household cleaning products and warm winter clothing.
Furniture and essential appliances
Councils can support essential furniture or appliances. Examples in government guidance include beds and bedding, washing machines, fridge-freezers, ovens, window coverings and carpets.
Housing costs
The fund also includes support for housing problems, including some rent or mortgage shortfalls and short-term emergency accommodation, depending on the local scheme.
Essential transport
Local crisis support can include essential transport where appropriate, such as public transport, fuel or bike repair.
Priority debts and urgent bills
Government guidance recognises urgent priority debt or bill crises, including some gas and electricity arrears, housing arrears and other priority bills where non-payment could have serious consequences.
Housing Payments Replaced Discretionary Housing Payments in England
In England, Discretionary Housing Payments ended on 31 March 2026.
From 1 April 2026, the Housing Payment strand of the Crisis and Resilience Fund replaced them.
For a Housing Payment, the national guidance says an applicant must be entitled to:
- Housing Benefit; or
- Universal Credit that includes housing costs towards a rental liability.
If your problem is rent or housing costs, contact your council and ask specifically about its Housing Payment scheme as well as any other local crisis support.
How Much Can You Get?
There is no single national Crisis and Resilience Fund payment amount.
Your council decides how much support it offers, whether awards are cash, vouchers or goods, whether it places limits on applications, which households it prioritises and what evidence you need to provide.
Be cautious about websites claiming that everyone can get a fixed £200, £300 or £500 payment from the fund.
How Is Support Paid?
The national guidance encourages councils to use a cash-first approach for Crisis Payments where appropriate.
This can include bank transfers, physical cash, cash-out vouchers or other methods that allow households to access money quickly.
Cash-first does not mean cash-only. A council can decide that a supermarket voucher, energy voucher, household item or payment directly to a creditor is more appropriate.
Will Every Council Offer the Same Scheme?
No.
GOV.UK says councils decide how to run their schemes, and there can be differences in eligibility criteria, application methods, who receives support and how often a household can apply.
Some councils may also deliver support through local charities or community organisations.
How to Apply in England
There is no single national Crisis and Resilience Fund application form.
You need to check the scheme run by your local authority.
GOV.UK: Get help with the cost of living from your local council
GOV.UK: Find your local council
What Information Might Your Council Ask For?
Requirements vary locally, but you may be asked for proof of identity and address, household income, benefit information if relevant, bank statements or savings information, evidence of the bill or essential cost, and rent or housing information.
Only send sensitive information after confirming that you are dealing with your council or an organisation officially delivering the council scheme.
Do Savings Automatically Disqualify You?
Not necessarily.
The national guidance says councils should consider resources available to the applicant and their household, including money in savings or other assets.
If you have some savings but they are not enough to meet the essential cost, it can still be worth checking your local scheme.
What If You Have No Recourse to Public Funds?
The rules are more complicated. Some Crisis Payments can count as public funds depending on the legal power used by the council, while councils may have alternative statutory powers in certain safeguarding situations.
If this applies to you, get advice from your council or a qualified welfare or immigration adviser rather than relying on a general online checker.
What If You Live in Scotland?
The English Crisis and Resilience Fund does not apply in Scotland.
Scotland has the Scottish Welfare Fund, including Crisis Grants for emergencies and Community Care Grants to help people live independently.
Official Scottish Welfare Fund guidance
What If You Live in Wales?
Wales has the Discretionary Assistance Fund. Its Emergency Assistance Payment can help people in extreme financial hardship with essential costs such as food, gas, electricity, heating oil or emergency travel.
Official Welsh Discretionary Assistance Fund guidance
What If You Live in Northern Ireland?
Northern Ireland has a separate Discretionary Support scheme. Depending on circumstances, support can be a grant or interest-free loan for short-term living expenses or essential household items.
Official Northern Ireland Discretionary Support guidance
Can You Get Other Support at the Same Time?
The Crisis and Resilience Fund is separate from other schemes.
Depending on your circumstances, you may also qualify for the Warm Home Discount 2026/27.
You can also read our guide to the £100 Household Energy Payment 2027.
Check benefits and financial support on GOV.UK
Watch Out for Crisis Fund Scams
There is no national fee to apply for Crisis and Resilience Fund help.
Be cautious if someone unexpectedly asks you to pay an application fee, give an online banking password, share a one-time security code, move money to another account or click an urgent link to secure a guaranteed payment.
Crisis and Resilience Fund 2026/27: Quick Summary
| Question | Answer |
|---|---|
| Where does it apply? | England |
| Fund period | 1 April 2026 to 31 March 2029 |
| 2026/27 allocation | £858,004,578 |
| Do you need to be on benefits? | No |
| Does a Crisis Payment reduce benefits? | No, according to GOV.UK |
| What can it help with? | Energy, water, food, housing, essential items and other crisis needs |
| Is there one national payment amount? | No |
| Who sets eligibility? | Your local council |
| How do you apply? | Through your council or local delivery partner |
Frequently Asked Questions
Do I need Universal Credit to apply?
No. Crisis Payments are not limited to people receiving benefits.
Will getting help stop or reduce my benefits?
GOV.UK says benefits will not be affected if you receive a payment from the Crisis and Resilience Fund.
Can the fund pay my energy bill?
It can support essential utilities, including energy, gas, electricity, water and heating fuel, subject to your council’s local rules.
Can it help me buy a fridge or washing machine?
Potentially. Government guidance allows councils to support essential furniture and appliances.
Can it help with rent?
Potentially. The fund includes housing support, and Housing Payments can help qualifying Housing Benefit recipients or Universal Credit claimants with eligible rental housing costs.
Is there a fixed payment amount?
No. Each council decides its local award structure.
Can I apply more than once?
Possibly, but local rules vary. GOV.UK notes that some councils limit the number of applications a household can make.
Final Checklist Before You Apply
- Use your council’s official website.
- Read the local eligibility rules carefully.
- Gather evidence of the essential cost you need help with.
- Have income and savings information ready if requested.
- Do not assume you are excluded just because you do not receive benefits.
- If your need is housing-related, ask about Housing Payments.
- Never pay an unofficial application fee.
The Crisis and Resilience Fund can be an important safety net when an unexpected cost or income shock leaves a household unable to meet essential needs.
There is no single national application or guaranteed payment amount. The most important step is to check the rules for the council where you live and apply through its official scheme.
UK Home Saver provides general information and is not part of the UK Government or any local authority. The checker on this page does not make an official eligibility decision. Local rules, funding and application arrangements can change.