Introduction, start and end date
In the Autumn Statement the Chancellor of the Exchequer announced that a new scheme would be introduced from April 2026 called the Crisis and Resilience Fund.
As per the guidance, 'the fund is to support low-income households who encounter a financial shock and to support activity that builds individual and community financial resilience. This includes specified funding for housing support' (formerly Discretionary Housing Payments).
Local authorities (LAs) have discretion on exactly how this funding is used within the scope set out in the grant determination and the guidance issued.
The scheme is available to those who meet the eligibility criteria from the 1 April 2026.
The scheme will run until the 31 March 2029, or until such time as all funding has been exhausted if earlier.
All awards under the scheme must be made or committed to before the 31 March 2029. Committed spend relates to grant funding that has been delivered to vulnerable households even if the household has not spent all of their awarded grant.