Household Support Fund ends: Crisis and Resilience Fund starts in England from April 2026
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The Household Support Fund's final period ended on 31 March 2026. From 1 April 2026 English councils run the Crisis and Resilience Fund, funded to March 2029, with rules set locally.
By Money Guide editorial team
Updated:
Correction (24 September 2026): an earlier version of this article said the Department for Work and Pensions had extended the Household Support Fund to March 2027. That was wrong. The Household Support Fund's final period ran from 1 April 2025 to 31 March 2026, and the Crisis and Resilience Fund replaced it in England from 1 April 2026. See our corrections log.
According to GOV.UK guidance for local authorities, the Crisis and Resilience Fund gives English councils grant funding to provide preventative support to communities and to help people facing a financial crisis. Funding covers 1 April 2026 to 31 March 2029.
Each council sets its own eligibility criteria, application process and form of help. Households facing immediate hardship — for example, a broken boiler in winter, an unaffordable food bill, or a need to replace a fridge — can contact their local council's welfare or emergency assistance team. Citizens Advice can refer locally where direct routes are unclear.
Devolved nations operate their own schemes: the Scottish Welfare Fund, the Discretionary Assistance Fund in Wales, and Discretionary Support in Northern Ireland.