Crisis and Resilience Service (CRS)

People struggle financially for many reasons. The Crisis and Resilience (CRS) team wants to help you to manage better and for things to improve. We want to help you to live independently wherever possible and get out of financial hardship.

We can:

• Provide targeted crisis payments to support people experiencing an immediate financial shock, such as a reduction in income or an unexpected essential expense 
• Support you to improve your financial resilience providing holistic support including money management and budgeting support and advice, supporting grant applications, providing cost comparisons for utilities tariffs and underlying issues tipping you into financial crisis 
• Connect you to debt agencies and support with any initial appointments
• Make referrals on your behalf to support workers, advice organisations and voluntary agencies
• Support you to get back into work through Norfolk Adult Learning and Skills employability skills and other employability organisations
• Assess your hardship support request to see if you are eligible for essential household items, to assist with relocating or remaining in your own home
• Support you with Disability Related Expenses claims - these can reduce the amount that people must pay towards their care

The Crisis and Resilience Service aims to assign your request to a Crisis and Resilience team member within 10 working days of the request being received but this can be subject to change.

To receive support from the Crisis and Resilience Service you must:

• Be 16 years old or over
• Live in Norfolk
• Be able to show you are in financial hardship 
• Claiming benefits and or working on a low income with minimal disposable income

We will look at your income and savings to provide you with a budget plan.

We can put you in touch with organisations who can offer support in many different ways. You can also find support organisations on the Norfolk Community Directory.

Support organisations can:

• Provide free training to help you get back into work or get a better paid job
• Give your family support if there are difficulties at home
• Help you if you struggle with addiction
• Find you a suitable support network or groups if you are isolated, lonely or struggling with mental health issues

The CRS team is trained to help you wherever possible.

Essential items and costs include:

• LPG (liquefied petroleum gas)
• Water 
• Clothing including uniform, warm winter clothing and shoes 
• Essential kitchen appliances and furniture - high quality second hand or new items if reused goods are unavailable. All items come with warranties.
• Essential transport related costs 
• Digital and connectivity essentials 

Selling items that are awarded by CRS. We will investigate if essential items you are awarded are sold for financial gain. This may result in the removal of goods and you may not be allowed to use this service in the future.

Crisis Support payments are in the form of supermarket vouchers and paypoint vouchers. 

To get crisis support for:

• Food 
• Pre-payment mains gas 
• Pre-payment mains electricity

Apply for the Crisis Support Fund online

After submitting a Crisis Support Fund application:

1. You will receive an email requesting your latest bank statement
2. Once we receive your bank statement, we will review your application within 48-72 hours

If your application is successful you will receive an award.

Visit our Struggling to afford food page for further support with paying for food.

To get support for:

• Heating oil 

Apply for support from the Norfolk Heating Oil Crisis Fund through CRS 

After submitting a Crisis Support Fund application:

1. You will receive an email requesting your latest bank statement
2. Once we receive your bank statement, we will review your application within 48-72 hours

If your application is successful you will receive an award.

Complete an online hardship support request form.

You will be asked to provide:

• Personal and financial information for yourself and anyone else who lives with you - see details below
• Electronic copies of evidence. Paper copies of evidence can be posted to us if you cannot send an electronic copy

What to gather before you start your hardship support request

Get the following information together for yourself and anyone else who lives with you.

• National Insurance number. We cannot process a hardship support request without it. Visit www.gov.uk/lost-national-insurance-number if you have lost it
• Last two months' bank statements for all accounts held within the household. The bank statement must contain your name and address with incoming and outgoing information. You can also post paper copies of your bank statement to: Crisis and Resilience Service, FES, Floor 3, County Hall, Martineau Lane, NR1 2DH. 
• Details of any debts
• Details of any savings or property you have
• Information on any health issues affecting you and/or anyone you live with
• If you are moving due to family breakdown or reconciliation, you need to provide details and the name of a professional, such as a social worker, who could give supporting evidence if required.

Apply for support from the Crisis and Resilience Service

Telephone Hardship Support Requests

If you cannot complete an online hardship support request call 0344 800 8020. We will complete the form with you, but you will still need to send us evidence via email or via post.

Step 1: Hardship support request submitted

When you submit a hardship support request form to the Crisis and Resilience Service, we will send you an email with your request reference number.

Step 2: Assigned an adviser

The Crisis and Resilience Service AIMS to assign your request to a Crisis and Resilience Advisor within 10 working days of the request being received BUT this can be subject to change. They will contact you by phone to support you with your hardship support request.

Step 3: Conversation with an adviser

Your adviser will contact you to provide support - during this, they will ask you for further information about your circumstances so they can provide the best support possible.

Your adviser will complete further checks based on the information you have given, as well as data held by Norfolk County Council and external organisations.

Step 4: Support provided

A standard financial statement will be provided to support you with money management and budgeting, information on advice organisations and any agreed financial support and household items will be sent to you via email.

Some cases may take longer to work through than others, please be patient whilst we try to find the best outcome for you.