New cost-of-living support scheme to launch in April

A new support scheme to help households struggling with rising living costs is to launch in April.

Under the Crisis and Resilience Fund (CRF), councils in England will get multi-year funding so they can provide targeted help to people who need it most.

The CRF aims to:

• provide a safety net for households hit by unexpected financial shocks
• help people become more financially resilient in the longer term
• prevent recurring hardship, so people are less likely to repeatedly need emergency help like food parcels

The fund will run for at least three years and replaces the current household support fund, which was typically renewed in six-month cycles, creating uncertainty for councils and the people they support.

Food bank charity hails 'lifeline for struggling households'

Food bank charity the Trussell Trust has welcomed the announcement, especially the move to multi-year funding.

“It represents a major opportunity to reset how local crisis support is provided,” the charity said.

“It is the kind of investment that can provide a lifeline to people when they are struggling to cope with the cost of living and reduce the need for emergency food to fill the gap in a crisis, as well as helping people onto a more secure financial footing for the future.”

Find out what benefits you can claim

If you’re struggling to cover your day-to-day expenses, you may be entitled to more support than you realise.

We can check you’re getting all the support you’re entitled to.

So get in touch or try our benefits calculator to see what support you could receive.