Crisis and Resilience Fund

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What is the Crisis and Resilience Fund

The Crisis and Resilience Fund is a government-funded scheme and is administered by local authorities to provide financial support to low-income households. It is designed to assist individuals and families who have either experienced a financial shock such as a sudden, unforeseen expense or a reduction in income that places pressure on their finances or wellbeing or who are at risk of entering crisis, where there is an immediate need for support to prevent harm or serious adverse outcomes.

In addition to crisis payments, the scheme also funds resilience and support services aimed at helping households maintain stability and improve their longer-term financial resilience.

Crisis payments are intended to address one-off or short-term needs and cannot be used as a substitute for ongoing or regular income.

What is the eligibility criteria?

The following Crisis and Resilience Fund eligibility criteria is to ensure that low income households benefit from the fund and that the Authority is not exposed to fraudulent applications.

To be eligible applicants must:

  • Be over 16 years of age.
  • Be a resident of Nottinghamshire (Excluding Nottingham City).
  • Be able to verify their identity and registered residential address.
  • Be part of a low income household (max. total annual household income of £35,000), with or without children.
  • Be experiencing an immediate financial crisis event (no more than one month prior to applying).
  • Provide evidence of the immediate financial crisis and current financial situation including a minimum of two months’ bank/savings statements.
  • Apply through one of the approved application routes.
  • Have recourse to public funds. This means applicants are allowed to claim benefits or public support. Support maybe available through eligibility for alternative statutory powers that permits such support.
  • Agree to be referred to resilience and/or community support services in order to build future financial resilience.

The table below is an example of immediate financial crisis support that can be provided by the Crisis and Resilience Fund, and those areas which the Department of Working Pensions deem unsuitable for immediate financial crisis:

Crisis (Support) Not crisis (Not supported)
Food insecurity Delay in benefit payments / removal of benefit
Energy (including heating oil) School holidays voucher provision
Hygiene products Day to day living expenses / inability to budget
Clothing (not school uniform) Vehicle expenses
Furniture (set items) Digital (phone bill, TV license)
Transport (bus pass provision but not taxis) Paying off debts
Housing (provision covered at district level) Costs associated with care
White goods Shortfalls in council tax
Major disasters and critical incidents  Costs met by other benefits 

Applications will be reviewed on a case-by-case basis, which if approved are limited to two per household per annum.

What is immediate financial crisis?

Immediate financial crisis events are defined as:

  • Disasters – a significant event causing severe disruption or damage to your living situation for example fire, flood, property damage.
  • Accidents – an unforeseen incident creating an immediate financial or practical crisis.
  • Household relationship breakdown – where one or more people must leave the home and secure alternative accommodation, particularly where this relates to domestic abuse or safety for example fleeing domestic abuse, urgent rehousing, safety related separation.
  • Essential item breakdown – loss or failure of an essential household item such as white goods which directly impact the wellbeing of the household.
  • Unexpected loss of income – a sudden and unforeseen reduction in household income that immediately and severely impacts the wellbeing of the household.

Who can apply for support?

You may be eligible if you are on a low income and:

  • Have experienced a sudden financial shock (such as an unexpected expense or loss of income), or
  • Are at risk of entering crisis and need urgent support to prevent serious harm or hardship

Eligibility criteria may vary, and each application is assessed on its individual circumstances.

What type of support can I receive?

Support may include:

  • A one-off crisis payment to help with essential costs
  • Assistance with emergency needs such as food, energy, or household essentials
  • Access to wider support services to help improve your financial situation and resilience

What can crisis payments be used for?

Crisis payments are intended to cover immediate, essential needs, such as:

  • Food and groceries
  • Utility costs (including energy and water)
  • Essential household items

They are not designed for ongoing living costs or non-essential expenses.

Can I receive regular payments from the fund?

No. The fund provides one-off or short-term support only. It cannot be used as a substitute for regular income or long-term financial support.

What information will I need to provide?

You will be asked to provide:

  • Proof of identity and residency
  • Details of your income and household circumstances
  • Information about your current financial difficulty

Providing accurate and complete information will help us assess your application more quickly.

All applications will be assessed on its individual circumstances and any application that does not submit the required evidence will be rejected.

How long does it take to receive a decision?

We aim to process applications as quickly as possible, particularly where there is an urgent need. Timescales may vary depending on demand and the complexity of your situation.

How will I receive the support?

If your application is successful, support may be provided through:

  • Direct payments
  • Vouchers
  • Provision of goods or services

The method of support will depend on your circumstances and the type of assistance required.

Can I apply more than once?

In most cases, support is limited to one award within a specified period unless exceptional circumstances apply. Each case will be considered individually.

What if my application is unsuccessful?

If your application is not approved, we will explain the reasons why. We may also direct you to alternative sources of support and advice.

You can ask us to review your application again, you must do this within 7 days of the decision being made. You will need to give reasons why you feel the decision should be reviewed and, where appropriate, provide additional information to support your request.

There will be no further right of appeal, however, you will have the right to make a complaint through the Council’s complaints procedure.