Who can get help from it?

Each council sets its own rules, but help is generally aimed at households on a low income or facing financial hardship — for example people receiving means-tested benefits, pensioners on a low income, families with children, disabled people, and people hit by an unexpected crisis or emergency. You usually do not have to be on benefits to qualify; many councils help anyone who is struggling with essentials. Check your own council's eligibility criteria.

Search online for your council name plus 'Crisis and Resilience Fund' or 'household support' or 'hardship fund' — for example 'Manchester City Council hardship fund'. If you are not sure which council covers you, enter your postcode on GOV.UK's 'find your local council' tool. Some councils take direct online applications; others give the money out through referrals from Citizens Advice, food banks, schools or social workers. If you cannot find it, phone your council's main number and ask for the team that runs cost-of-living or welfare support.

What else can I get if I am struggling right now?

Beyond the Crisis and Resilience Fund, check: a Universal Credit advance or budgeting advance if you have a UC claim; your energy supplier's hardship fund and the Priority Services Register; a water social tariff (often cuts bills by 50% or more); a food bank referral (usually via Citizens Advice); Healthy Start food vouchers if pregnant or with young children; Council Tax Reduction; and a full benefits check in case you are missing ongoing entitlements worth far more than a one-off grant. SortedUK's tools route to all of these.

← Back to Sorted Crisis & Resilience Fund · UK guide · England

The council fund that replaced the Household Support Fund.

Q: What happened to the Household Support Fund?

The Household Support Fund ran in rounds from 2021 and its final round ended on 31 March 2026. From April 2026 it was replaced by a new, longer-term scheme called the Crisis and Resilience Fund, which the government has said will run from 2026 to 2029 with up to around £1 billion a year across England. Like the Household Support Fund, the money is given to local councils, who each run their own local scheme to help residents with the cost of essentials.

Q: What is the Crisis and Resilience Fund?

The Crisis and Resilience Fund is central government money distributed to county councils and unitary authorities in England to help vulnerable, low-income households with the cost of essentials — typically food, energy, water, and sometimes other basics. Because each council designs and runs its own version, the exact help, eligibility and how to apply vary from area to area. There is no single national application — you apply through your own local council.

Last verified 6 Jun 2026 · Source GOV.UK Household Support Fund + Crisis & Resilience Fund · Publisher: SortedUK Ltd (filed 5 Jun 2026)

If you searched for the Household Support Fund — it ended on 31 March 2026. From April 2026 it was replaced by the Crisis and Resilience Fund, a longer-term scheme (2026–2029, up to around £1 billion a year across England) that gives money to local councils to help low-income households with the cost of food, energy, water and other essentials. Like before, there is no single national application — each council runs its own version. Here is how to find and apply to yours.

2026–2029Replaced HSF from April 2026

~£1bn/yrAcross England (gov. figure)

Your councilRuns its own local scheme

Food + energyHelp with essentials

How to find yours Find all local help by postcode

What changed

The Household Support Fund (HSF) ran from 2021 in a series of rounds. Its final round ended on 31 March 2026. Many guides and old council pages still talk about "the Household Support Fund" — but for help from April 2026 onwards, the scheme you want is the Crisis and Resilience Fund.

The new fund does the same core job — central government gives money to councils, who hand it out locally to households struggling with essentials — but it is designed to last longer (the government has said 2026 to 2029) and to be more stable than the short, repeating HSF rounds.

If your council page still says "Household Support Fund" Some councils keep using the old name for a while, or use their own name like "Welfare Assistance", "Hardship Fund" or "Cost of Living Support". They all mean the same kind of help. If you find any of these on your council's site, that is the right place to apply.

What it can help with

Each council decides exactly what its scheme covers, but help commonly includes:

Food — supermarket vouchers, food parcels, or referrals to a food bank.
Energy — help topping up a prepayment meter or paying towards a gas/electric bill.
Water — help with water bills or a referral to a water social tariff.
Other essentials — sometimes white goods (cooker, fridge), beds, or emergency cash for a specific crisis.
School holiday support — some councils give food vouchers to families with children on free school meals during the holidays.

It is usually a one-off or short-term award to get you through a crisis — not an ongoing payment. That is why it is worth pairing it with a full benefits check (below), because ongoing entitlements are often worth far more over a year.

Who can get it?

Each council sets its own rules, but the fund is generally aimed at:

Households on a low income or facing financial hardship
People on means-tested benefits (Universal Credit, Pension Credit, etc.) — though many councils help people not on benefits too
Pensioners on a low income
Families with children, especially those on free school meals
Disabled people and unpaid carers
Anyone hit by a sudden emergency or crisis affecting their ability to afford essentials

You usually do not have to be on benefits to qualify — if you are struggling to afford food or energy, it is worth applying.

How to find and apply to yours

Find your council. If you are not sure which council covers you, enter your postcode on GOV.UK's "find your local council" tool (or use SortedUK's local finder).
Search for the scheme. Search online for your council name plus "Crisis and Resilience Fund", or "household support", or "hardship fund" — for example "Birmingham City Council hardship fund".
Read the eligibility on your council's page and gather any evidence they ask for (proof of income, benefits, ID, a recent bill).
Apply the way your council says. Some take direct online applications; others give the money out through referrals from Citizens Advice, a food bank, a school, or a social worker.
Can't find it or no internet? Phone your council's main number and ask for the team that handles "cost-of-living" or "welfare" support. Citizens Advice (0800 144 8848) can also help you find and apply.

It can run out — apply early in need Council funds are cash-limited and some pause applications when the budget for that period is used up. If you are struggling, apply as soon as you can rather than waiting. If your council's fund is closed, ask them what else is available — they often have other welfare or emergency schemes.

If you need help right now

While you sort out the Crisis and Resilience Fund, these can help faster:

Universal Credit advance / budgeting advance — if you have a UC claim, you can ask for an advance to tide you over (repaid from future payments).
Your energy supplier's hardship fund + the Priority Services Register — British Gas Energy Trust is open to customers of any supplier.
Water social tariff — often cuts the bill by 50% or more on a low income. Ask your water company.
Food bank referral — usually through Citizens Advice. See find a food bank.
A full benefits check — you may be missing ongoing money worth far more than a one-off grant. Check your benefits or run the money scan.
Debt help — if bills are mounting, free FCA-regulated advice from StepChange 0800 138 1111. See debt help.

Free UK support

Citizens Advice — 0800 144 8848. Free help finding and applying to your council's fund, plus a full benefits check.
Your local council — the team that runs cost-of-living / welfare / hardship support.
Turn2us — free grants search + benefits calculator.
StepChange — 0800 138 1111. Free FCA-regulated debt advice.
Samaritans — 116 123, free, 24/7, if it is all feeling like too much.

Crisis and Resilience Fund — common questions

What happened to the Household Support Fund?

Its final round ended on 31 March 2026. From April 2026 it was replaced by the Crisis and Resilience Fund, which the government has said will run 2026–2029 with up to around £1bn/year across England. The money still goes to councils, who run their own local schemes.

What is the Crisis and Resilience Fund?

Central government money given to county councils and unitary authorities in England to help low-income households with the cost of essentials — food, energy, water and sometimes other basics. Each council designs its own version, so help and eligibility vary by area.

Who can get help?

Generally households on a low income or in hardship — people on means-tested benefits, low-income pensioners, families with children, disabled people, carers, and anyone hit by a crisis. You usually don't have to be on benefits to qualify. Each council sets its own rules.

How do I apply?

Search your council name plus "Crisis and Resilience Fund" / "household support" / "hardship fund". Some councils take direct applications; others work through referrals from Citizens Advice, food banks, schools or social workers. If stuck, phone your council or call Citizens Advice on 0800 144 8848.

What else can I get if I'm struggling now?

A Universal Credit advance, your energy supplier's hardship fund, a water social tariff, a food bank referral, Healthy Start vouchers, Council Tax Reduction, and a full benefits check for ongoing money worth more than a one-off grant. SortedUK's tools route to all of these.

Sources Household Support Fund guidance (final round 1 April 2025 to 31 March 2026) · GOV.UK Household Support Fund guidance for local councils. Crisis and Resilience Fund (replacement scheme from April 2026, 2026–2029) · UK Government / DWP announcement. Find your local council · gov.uk/find-local-council. Free help: Citizens Advice 0800 144 8848 · StepChange 0800 138 1111 · Turn2us grants search · Samaritans 116 123. Council-level detail varies — always confirm with your own council. Last reviewed: 6 June 2026.

Your safest next step today

Struggling with food or energy bills? Find your council's fund + check for missed money.

Search "[your council] hardship fund", and run a 60-second benefits check — a one-off grant helps now, but ongoing entitlements are often worth far more over a year.

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