Crisis payments

A crisis payment is a discretionary payment made by a local authority to someone on a low income who is facing a crisis or sudden financial shock.

A crisis payment can help with:[1]

• a financial shock, such as a sudden loss of income or unexpected expense

• preventing money problems from worsening and becoming a crisis

A crisis payment does not have to be paid back.

Each unitary authority and county council must operate a crisis payment scheme as part of the Crisis and Resilience Fund from 1 April 2026.[2] The Crisis and Resilience Fund replaced the former Household Support Fund.

Housing payments

A local authority can award a housing payment to help people with their housing costs. Housing payments used to be called discretionary housing payments. Housing payments are part of the Crisis and Resilience Fund.

Housing payments have different eligibility requirements to crisis payments. A person must be entitled to housing benefit or the housing costs element of universal credit to receive a housing payment.

Find out more about housing payments at Shelter Legal.

When someone needs further support

A crisis payment provides one-off support. If someone needs longer-term support, the local authority can refer them to financial, debt, housing or other support services where appropriate.[3]

Find out more about how to help someone in a financial crisis at Shelter Legal.

A local authority can award a crisis payment where a person faces an urgent need and requires immediate support.

The government guidance does not provide an exhaustive list of the situations that could put a household in crisis. Some examples include:[4]

• loss of income, such as a reduction in working hours

• domestic abuse or leaving accommodation

• serious illness or a mental health crisis

• an unexpected expense, such as a boiler or car breaking down

• a disaster, such as fire or flood

A local authority has discretion over what a crisis payment can cover.

A crisis payment can be awarded to cover costs such as:[5]

• food, energy, hygiene products and other basic living costs

• essential items, including beds and household appliances

• transport or communication costs

The local authority must take a cash-first approach.[6] This means it provides cash as the default form of support. It can provide vouchers, goods or direct payments where this better meets the applicant's needs.

Help with housing costs

A crisis payment can also be awarded to cover housing costs when someone is not eligible for a housing payment.

For example, they might not be eligible if they are not entitled to qualifying benefits or they are an owner-occupier.[7]

A local authority can award crisis payments to households with a low income. The household does not need to receive benefits.

Each local authority has discretion to decide who is eligible, including how to define whether someone has a low income in their area.[8]

When assessing an application, a local authority can consider:

• income and available resources

• access to savings or assets

• immediate financial need

People with no recourse to public funds

Crisis payments are not available to people with no recourse to public funds.[9]

The local authority has discretion to provide support under alternative powers. For example, the local authority's powers to:

• safeguard a child in need[10]

• meet care needs[11]

• improve public health[12]

Find out more about support options for people with no recourse to public funds at NRPF network.org.uk.

Each local authority can set its own scheme for awarding crisis payments.

Local authorities should consider each application individually and focus on the needs of the person applying for support.[13]

Crisis payments must be available to apply for throughout the year.

Search for a local authority

Use our postcode lookup tool to find crisis payment contact details for a specific local authority.