Crisis and Resilience Fund
The Crisis and Resilience Fund will run until the end of March 2029.
For the first year of the fund, covering 1 April 2026 to 31 March 2027, Norfolk has been allocated £11.2 million by the government. This funding is to support residents who are struggling with the cost of living and everyday expenses.
We expect funding for years two and three to be at a similar level. From year three, Discretionary Housing Payments (DHP) will be included in the fund, once Local Government Reorganisation has taken place.
This new fund replaces the Household Support Fund, which ran from October 2021 to March 2026.
What's different about this fund?
Like the previous Household Support Fund, the Crisis and Resilience Fund will continue to provide help in a crisis. However, it also has a stronger focus on helping people build financial resilience, so they are less likely to fall into crisis again.
This means that alongside any crisis payments or support, residents will be offered wrap‑around support to help them manage their money and plan ahead. The fund will also strengthen community based activity, making help available in places that people already use and trust.
A longer term approach
Because this is a three year fund, it allows Norfolk to plan more sustainable support over time. This includes putting the right resources, systems and services in place to offer:
- Immediate help when someone is in financial crisis
- Ongoing support, such as money management, debt advice, budgeting and financial planning.
The aim is to help people make the most of their income, find the best value for services, and build the skills and confidence to manage day‑to‑day finances, helping to prevent future crises.
In line with government guidance, Norfolk's funding will be split across three main areas, outlined below.
Countywide crisis and resilience service
We will continue to provide an application ‑service for residents who experience a sudden financial shock.
People can apply for crisis support to help cover costs such as:
- Food
- Energy - including heating oil
- Transport
- Unexpected bills, for example a car repair or a broken boiler
We will ask anyone who receives this support to take part in wraparound support, following a financial assessment. This is to help them get longer term support alongside the immediate help.
People can access the Crisis and Resilience service in several ways:
- Online - Visit Crisis and Resilience Service (CRS)
- By phone - 0344 800 8020
- Through professional referrals from partners across Norfolk, including Age UK, the Department for Work and Pensions (DWP), and voluntary and community sector organisations
The CRS is also delivering the Norfolk Heating Oil Crisis Fund and Norfolk residents can apply for support with oil through a CRS application or more information on this service Visit Crisis and Resilience Service (CRS).
Countywide community infrastructure
We will use some of the funding to strengthen support within local communities.
This includes support for Norfolk's 47 libraries and Family Hubs, enabling them to host voluntary and community sector organisations and offer help in places people already use and trust.
This funding will also help ensure there is strong join‑up between community locations and the countywide Crisis and Resilience service. The aim is to make it easier for people to get the right support first time, without being passed between lots of different services.
Community resilience building
From Autumn 2026, funding will be available for voluntary and community sector organisations to help them increase their capacity to support people facing hardship and prevent problems from getting worse.
Most of this funding will be given out through grants. Voluntary sector organisations will be able to apply for funding to support existing projects or to set up new ones. Projects will need to show how they support the aims of the Crisis and Resilience Fund. This funding will be available across Norfolk.
