Crisis and Resilience Fund
The Department for Work and Pensions (DWP) has announced a new fund - Crisis and Resilience Fund (CRF) - to support low-income households, which will be delivered through local councils.
The CRF is not a direct replacement for the Household Support Fund, which ended on 31 March 2026.
The CRF is a three year scheme, ending on 31 March 2029, and a range of support will be developed over time based on local needs and priorities.
The Crisis and Resilience Fund aims to:
- Provide effective crisis support to stop emergencies from happening, happening again or getting worse
- Help people manage unexpected financial shocks and reduce the need for crisis help in the future
- Strengthen local support networks helping people access the support they need, where and when they need it
CRF is made up of four key elements:
- Community Coordination - strengthening local communities by helping to bring services together and making it easier for people to access support.
- Crisis Payments* - providing emergency financial help for people who are in crisis or facing unexpected financial shocks that they cannot manage on their own.
- Housing Payments - offering help to tenants that cannot cover their eligible rent payments from their Housing Benefit or Universal Credit Housing Costs.
- Resilience Services - funding services that help people build long‑term financial stability, resilience, and independence.
*The CRF Crisis Payment Scheme may be able to help people facing significant increases in heating oil costs if they are unable to manage these on their own. Please note that Sunderland City Council has not been given extra funding to develop additional support for these people.
