The Department for Work and Pensions (DWP) has published detailed new guidance on the Crisis and Resilience Fund (CRF), a significant reform of local welfare support.
It signals a clear shift in national policy, away from short term crisis firefighting and towards building long term financial resilience in low income households.
The CRF is not just another hardship fund. It is a tool for councils to stabilise people’s lives, reduce repeat crises and build stronger local safety nets if implemented strategically.
It exists to help people deal with an immediate financial shock and to prevent future crises by improving financial resilience.
This is where the fund is fundamentally different from previous schemes. Councils are encouraged to invest in resilience services, not just emergency payments. That means using CRF funding to reduce repeat applications, help people maximise income, stabilise housing and connect residents to the right local support at the right time.
Emergency help still matters, but it must sit inside a wider system that stops people falling back into crisis again and again.
Policy in Practice worked with Trussell to advise DWP on the design of the CRF. Read the report here.
The Crisis and Resilience Fund sets a new standard for local welfare support. Our clients are already meeting the core objectives of the Crisis and Resilience Fund and proving that data is the most effective tool for long term poverty prevention.
