About the Crisis and Resilience Fund

The Crisis and Resilience Fund (CRF) is a national scheme launching on 1 April 2026.

It replaces both the Household Support Fund (HSF) and Discretionary Housing Payments (DHP), and brings crisis support and resilience-building activity into one national framework.

GOV.UK guidance on the Crisis and Resilience Fund (1 April 2026 to 31 March 2029)

The fund allows councils to:

• provide effective crisis support
• improve residents' financial resilience
• strengthen local support through partnership work and co-ordination

The guidance promotes a person-centred, trauma-informed, cash-first approach that offers dignified, flexible and tailored to individual needs.

CRF support areas

CRF support is delivered through:

• Crisis Payments – immediate cash-first help for essential needs during a financial crisis
• Housing Payments – replaces Discretionary Housing Payments (DHP) and provides financial help for residents entitled to a qualifying benefit who face shortfalls in their housing costs
• Heating Oil Support - help for some households affected by rising heating oil costs

We are reviewing the government guidance and will co-design the local scheme with community partners and resilience services to ensure support meets local needs.

Further details will be published once the local framework is finalised.