Blog | Policy in Practice

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Date

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CRF: Resetting local crisis support in England The 2025 Spending Review contained a welcome announcement on new long term funding for local crisis support in England. The Crisis and Resilience Fund (CRF) is set to replace the Household Support Fund (HSF) from April 2026, for three years.

The CRF is an opportunity to reset local crisis support in England, following over a decade of patchwork provision and the short term funding rounds that have characterised the HSF.

Together with anti-poverty charity Trussell, we have published a report, Resetting local crisis support in England, presenting new analysis and recommendations intended to inform delivery across the three key elements of the CRF:

1. Provision and access to effective crisis support
2. Improving the financial resilience of individuals and local communities
3. Bolstering community level support

Speakers will include the Department for Work and Pensions and the authors of the report:

- Ashleigh Naysmith, Senior Policy Advisor at the DWP
- Beatrice Orchard, Head of Programme at Trussell
- Zoe Sydenham, Community Empowerment Organisational Lead at Plymouth City Council
- Deven Ghelani, Founder and Director at Policy in Practice
- Francisca Torres Cortés, Head of Research at Policy in Practice
- Rory Ewan, Senior Policy and Data Analyst at Policy in Practice

Join us at this webinar to learn more about our recommendations and explore practical examples focused on:

- Delivering a cash-first approach to local crisis support
- Using the CRF to build financial resilience for people most at risk of financial crisis
- Developing a systematic approach to monitoring and evaluating outcomes

The webinar is open to any organisation with an interest in the CRF. It will be particularly relevant to local authorities, as well as voluntary and community sector organisations involved in supporting people at risk of financial hardship.

21/1/2026

10:30am GMT

1.3 hours

Overcoming the data disconnect in safeguarding Too often, vulnerable people are only identified when it is already too late. Safeguarding professionals are forced to make decisions with only part of the picture, as crucial information is spread across disconnected services and systems. This makes it harder to spot risks, see patterns or act early, leading to delayed or inappropriate support.

In this webinar, we’ll explore how councils and safeguarding partners are tackling this challenge by improving the way data is shared and used. You’ll hear about practical approaches to using daily, structured data feeds to inform decisions, identify concerns earlier and support coordinated prevention work across teams.

We’ll also look at real life examples of how better access to safeguarding data is already helping professionals to take timely, more targeted action, and how they are beginning to evidence impact.

28/1/2026

10:30am GMT

1.3 hours

Council Tax Reduction in 2026: Practical approaches to policy reform and supporting the most vulnerable In recent years, Council Tax arrears in England have hit a record £6 billion.

As we move into 2026, the design of local Council Tax Reduction (CTR) schemes remains one of the most powerful levers councils have to protect low-income residents from falling into arrears.

Join us at this webinar to explore practical solutions focused on:

• Trends in council tax support schemes: Preparing for LGR and the April budget changes
• Streamlined collection: Aligning CTR scheme design to make it simple to administer, and combine this with flexible, effective and sustainable debt management practices
• Local government reorganisation: Best practices to harmonise disparate schemes and be ready for the transition
• Efficiency through automation: How South Norfolk and Broadland Councils are working to increase take-up while reducing the administrative burden of Universal Credit fluctuations through income-banded schemes and automated modelling

The policy landscape is shifting rapidly. The Government’s new Child Poverty Strategy introduces statutory requirements for councils to ensure their schemes actively reduce inequality and align with supportive collection practices, while LGR and changes to local government funding impact on scheme design.

Deven Ghelani (Director) and Rory Ewan (Senior Policy and Data Analyst) of Policy in Practice will discuss the impact of these policy changes and practical approaches based on our analysis of over 150 schemes. We will also be joined by Lindsay Sayer who will share her experience of CTRS redesign in South Norfolk and Broadland, and harmonisation across the district councils.

This webinar will aim to provide Heads of Revenues and Benefits, Revenues Managers, Finance Directors and Policy Leads with the tools to navigate complex legislative changes and design data-driven, resilient schemes.

By acting now, councils can turn these policy challenges into an opportunity to deliver fairer, more efficient support.

17/2/2026

10:30am GMT

1 hour

CRF: Resetting local crisis support in England

Read our policy and practice blogs

Policy insights for 2026: Why proactive support needs to be the new normal

The new Child Poverty Strategy: objectives, impact and what it means for councils

How to shape the new Crisis and Resilience Fund

A blueprint for bill support: How automation and targeted design can transform essential services

Budget 2025: What does it mean for low income households?

New analysis: Benefit cap blocks support for 1 in 5 families hit by two child limit

Keep Britain Working: What the new Mayfield report misses for employers

Key lessons from the High Court ruling on Trafford Council’s local council tax reduction scheme

Pensioner poverty: Committee backs key changes we called for

Disability benefit reforms: key changes and what comes next

CRF: Resetting local crisis support in England

Read our policy and practice blogs

Policy insights for 2026: Why proactive support needs to be the new normal

The new Child Poverty Strategy: objectives, impact and what it means for councils

How to shape the new Crisis and Resilience Fund

A blueprint for bill support: How automation and targeted design can transform essential services

Budget 2025: What does it mean for low income households?

New analysis: Benefit cap blocks support for 1 in 5 families hit by two child limit

Keep Britain Working: What the new Mayfield report misses for employers

Key lessons from the High Court ruling on Trafford Council’s local council tax reduction scheme

Pensioner poverty: Committee backs key changes we called for

Disability benefit reforms: key changes and what comes next

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CRF: Resetting local crisis support in England