1 Overview
The UK government started the Crisis and Resilience Fund (CRF) in April 2026. The fund will run until 31 March 2029.
The government designed the fund to help people:
- plan ahead to avoid a possible crisis
- find joined-up support in their local community
- on low incomes manage a crisis
The CRF replaces the Household Support Fund and has different rules.
How the council uses the fund
West Sussex County Council uses the fund to improve services that help people to get advice. This will help them to avoid future crisis.
We may also use the fund to give a crisis payment to people who have a sudden emergency. You can find examples on our what support you can get page.
2 Who can get support
The Crisis and Resilience Fund supports a wide range of low income households in West Sussex.
You do not need to receive benefits to get support.
If you need help, the Community Hub will talk with you to understand:
- what has caused your crisis
- any risks you are facing
- what support you already have
- what might stop things getting worse
- what support could help you now and in the future
We work with you, respecting your privacy. We will discuss your situation and what help will support you the most.
3 Available support
The support we give through the Crisis and Resilience Fund (CRF) is based upon your needs. We will work out the best support we can give you when we talk to you.
Resilience services
We will help you to contact local resilience services. These are services that can give you advice that fits your situation. This will help you to build stability over time and reduce the risk of future problems.
We can connect you with services who can help with:
- what benefits you can claim and how to get them
- how to budget and manage your money
- debt advice
- energy and other bills
- housing information and advice
- employment, skills and training support
Crisis payments
We may offer you a crisis payment if you meet the criteria. This helps with urgent costs that have come up because of a sudden event.
Examples of a crisis situation include:
- someone having a sudden illness or accident that costs money or means they can't work
- something important in your home breaking, such as a cooker or things you need for washing and you don't have another safe option
- being at risk of losing your home
- getting an unexpected urgent bill that you have to pay straight away
- a big life change, like someone dying or losing their job, that causes immediate money problems
Crisis payments are for occasional or short-term needs. They cannot give a regular income. If you receive a payment, we will also put you in touch with resilience services. This will help you to plan so that you can manage a future crisis.
The CRF does not give supermarket vouchers or food support in all cases. As part of our discussion with you, we will consider if this is the best way to support you.
4 Contact us
To get support, you need to complete our online form. Our Community Hub team will contact you.
For help to fill in the form, phone 033 022 27980.
Lines are open 7 days a week between 9am and 5pm. On bank holidays, you can call between 10am and 2pm.
Privacy notice
You can find out how we use and manage your personal data on our privacy notice.