Moving from the Household Support Fund to the Crisis and Resilience Fund.
The Household Support Fund is coming to an end as of 31 March 2026. Funded by the UK Government and distributed through the Department for Work and Pensions (DWP) to local councils, it provided non-repayable grants to help vulnerable households cover essentials such as food, energy and water bills.
If you have been relying on this type of support, there is some reassuring news: the fund is being replaced by a new scheme. The Crisis and Resilience Fund (CRF) will launch in April 2026 and run for three years until March 2029. The longer timeframe gives councils greater certainty and allows them to plan support more effectively over an extended period.
What the CRF is designed to do:
The fund aims to help people facing a sudden, unexpected expense or loss of income. It also goes further than its predecessor by supporting long-term financial resilience, giving people greater access to welfare and debt advice across their district. The fund is expected to cover four broad areas: 1. Crisis support: emergency help for households facing immediate hardship, such as food or fuel shortages, which may include cash payments or vouchers. 2. Housing support: financial help with rent, deposits, or shortfalls, particularly for those at risk of losing their home. 3. Resilience and advice: access to services such as debt advice, budgeting support, and help to maximise income. 4. Community-based support: funding for local organisations, including food banks and charities, to provide frontline assistance.
How Bradford Council is using the funding:
Within that national framework, each council has flexibility over how it allocates its funding. Bradford Council has chosen the following areas:
- Supporting foodbanks and organisations that help people in need of food
- Supporting Welcoming Spaces
- Emergency fuel help
- Essential household goods
- Helping carers
- Supporting the Warm Homes, Healthy People service
- Supporting child safe sleeping
- Helping low-income households with energy and food costs
Bradford Council is scheduled to confirm its full delivery plan at the 14 April Executive meeting. Further details, including who is eligible and how to apply, will be added as soon as they are available.
Other support available:
The CRF is one part of a broader picture of support. The UK Government offers a range of help with the cost of living, covering areas such as income and disability benefits, energy bills, housing costs, health, childcare and maternity costs, and managing debt and savings. You can find a full overview at gov.uk/cost-of-living.
If money worries are affecting your mental health, or if you are experiencing domestic abuse and it is having an impact on your finances, support is also available. You do not have to face these pressures alone.
If you are currently receiving support through the Household Support Fund, it is worth checking with Bradford Council about what will be available from April 2026 onwards. In the meantime, Bradford Council’s website, the UK government’s cost-of-living pages, and this page are the best places to stay up to date.