The Crisis and Resilience Fund: what replaced the Household Support Fund

What replaced the Household Support Fund

If you've searched for the 'Household Support Fund' and come up empty, that's why: it closed on 31 March 2026. In England it's been replaced by the Crisis and Resilience Fund, which runs from April 2026 — a government-funded pot (£858 million for 2026/27) handed to county and unitary councils to help households in hardship with essentials like food and energy.

It does much the same job as the old fund, under a new name — so the help hasn't gone away, it's just moved.

How to get help

Because the fund is run by each local council, exactly what's on offer and how you apply differs from area to area. Some councils give supermarket or energy vouchers, some make small cash grants, and some work through Citizens Advice or local food banks. The support is discretionary and the money is limited, so it's worth applying early rather than waiting.

Since April 2026, councils in England must use the same names. The government's guidance tells councils to call emergency help a 'Crisis Payment' and help with rent a 'Housing Payment', and to publish a page on their main website titled 'Crisis and Resilience Fund' that explains who can get help and how to apply. Every county and unitary council must run a Crisis Payment scheme that takes applications all year round, with at least two ways to apply, such as online, by phone or in person. You don't have to be on benefits: each council decides what counts as a low income in its area. A friend, relative or advice charity can apply on your behalf, and for urgent needs the guidance asks councils to aim to pay within 48 hours of a completed application.

The place to start is your local (county or unitary) council's website — look for 'Crisis and Resilience Fund', 'Crisis Payment', 'household support' or 'welfare assistance'. If you're not sure which council covers you, GOV.UK's 'find your local council' tool will point you to the right one.

Help with rent: the Housing Payment

The fund also took over Discretionary Housing Payments. They ended in England on 31 March 2026, and from 1 April 2026 the same kind of help comes from the fund's Housing Payment, which the guidance says will closely replicate the old rules. It's for people entitled to Housing Benefit or the housing element of Universal Credit who still can't meet their housing costs, for example because of the benefit cap, the removal of the spare room subsidy (often called the bedroom tax) or a Local Housing Allowance shortfall. It can also help with a rent deposit, rent in advance, or the costs of securing a home or downsizing, such as removal expenses.

A Housing Payment can be a one-off or paid in instalments, but when it's for rent it shouldn't be more than your weekly Housing Benefit or Universal Credit housing element. Homeowners, and people who aren't entitled to either benefit, can't get one, but the guidance says they may still get help with housing costs through a Crisis Payment. In 2026/27 and 2027/28 the money for Housing Payments goes to district and unitary councils, while Crisis Payments are run by county and unitary councils, so in a two-tier area the two can sit with different councils. Your council's Crisis and Resilience Fund page should say where to apply.

Extra money for homes that heat with oil

On 16 March 2026 the government added £27 million to the fund in England for low-income households affected by the rise in heating oil prices, aimed at areas where more homes rely on oil, such as rural communities. The ministers' letter to councils lists 54 councils that get a share for 2026/27. The largest top-ups went to Norfolk (£3.06 million), Lincolnshire (£1.83 million) and Suffolk (£1.72 million).

The guidance lists fuel of any kind for heating, cooking or lighting, including oil and bottled gas, among the things a Crisis Payment may help with, including where a large rise in heating oil prices has left a household in immediate financial hardship. The letter says no extra conditions are attached to the top-up, so each council decides how to use it. If you heat with oil and are struggling to pay for a delivery, ask your county or unitary council about a Crisis Payment. Our heating oil guide covers the help in each UK nation and the government’s 13 October 2026 decision to regulate heating oil for the first time.

Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland

The Crisis and Resilience Fund covers England only. Elsewhere there are long-standing equivalents: in Scotland the Scottish Welfare Fund (Crisis Grants and Community Care Grants) through your council; in Wales the Discretionary Assistance Fund; and in Northern Ireland, Discretionary Support. Each helps with emergencies and essential costs for people on low incomes.

In Scotland, a Crisis Grant from the Scottish Welfare Fund is for 'an unexpected emergency like a fire, flood or losing your job'. You must be 16 or over and on a low income or getting certain benefits, you apply through your council, and you don't pay it back. In Wales, the Discretionary Assistance Fund's Emergency Assistance Payment is a grant towards essentials such as food, gas, electricity, heating oil or emergency travel if you're in extreme financial hardship; you can only apply for heating oil through an approved partner. Help with rent also works differently: Scotland and Wales still have Discretionary Housing Payments, which you apply for through your council.