Household Support Fund: it has ended — here is what replaced it
This scheme has ended and been replaced. You cannot apply for it.
England only.
The Household Support Fund ended on 31 March 2026. If you are searching for it because you need help with food, energy or another essential cost, your council in England now runs the Crisis and Resilience Fund instead — that is where you should apply.
“The funding will be available to Local Authorities in England from 1 April 2025 and will run until 31 March 2026.”
What the Household Support Fund was
“The Household Support Fund was distributed by councils in England to directly help those who needed it most. The grant was distributed through small payments to support vulnerable households meet daily needs such as food, clothing, and utilities.”
The fund began in October 2021, as a way of helping households through a difficult winter. It never had a single multi-year budget. Instead, according to GOV.UK’s guidance for local councils, the government renewed it repeatedly and separately — sometimes for as little as six months at a time, sometimes for a full year — with its final extension covering 1 April 2025 to 31 March 2026.
“Household Support Fund was made available from 6 October 2021 to 31 March 2022 to support those most in need across England with the cost of:”
It ended on 31 March 2026 — the Crisis and Resilience Fund replaced it
The Household Support Fund’s final extension covered 1 April 2025 to 31 March 2026. GOV.UK’s guidance for that period is explicit that the money could not roll over into a further year:
“Funds should be spent or committed before 31 March 2026 and cannot be carried over for future usage.”
No further extension followed. From 1 April 2026 the government launched a new scheme aimed at the same kind of need — the Crisis and Resilience Fund. Its grant determination describes an objective that echoes the old fund’s own guidance, quoted above, on helping vulnerable households meet daily needs:
“The objective of this fund is both to provide a safety net for those on low incomes who encounter a financial shock, and to invest in building local financial resilience to enable individuals and communities to better deal with crises in the long-term.”
Unlike its predecessor, this is not a short extension — the same Grant Determination sets the Crisis and Resilience Fund out to run until 31 March 2029.
The new fund also does more than the old one did. The Crisis and Resilience Fund’s own guidance for local authorities explains why:
“As with the rest of The Fund, the Housing Payment element will commence from April 2026 and replaces Discretionary Housing Payments (DHPs).”
In practice, that means councils in England now run one ringfenced pot covering both kinds of help rather than two separate ones.
What to do now, if you live in England
Apply to your council’s Crisis and Resilience Fund scheme instead. It covers broadly the same kind of help the Household Support Fund did — things like food, energy costs, essential appliances and help towards housing costs — but the eligibility rules and the way each council delivers it are set locally, the same as they were before.
- Find your council. If you are unsure which council covers you, use the council finder on GOV.UK.
- Search your council’s website for “Crisis and Resilience Fund” or “crisis support”. Some councils still use the old Household Support Fund name on their pages, so search for both.
- Read the current eligibility rules and check what evidence you will need — usually proof of address, income and the problem you need help with.
- Apply online if your council offers it, or check whether it wants a referral from an advice agency.
If you live in Scotland, Wales or Northern Ireland
Both funds were England-only. GOV.UK’s guidance describes the Household Support Fund as money made available to “County Councils and Unitary Authorities in England”, and the Crisis and Resilience Fund’s grant determination describes its grant as support for “local authorities in England” — neither extended to the devolved nations. Each of the other three nations runs its own separate crisis-help scheme, with its own name and its own rules:
- Scotland: the Scottish Welfare Fund, made up of Crisis Grants and Community Care Grants.
- Wales: the Discretionary Assistance Fund, made up of an Emergency Assistance Payment and an Individual Assistance Payment.
- Northern Ireland: Discretionary Support, which can be either a grant or an interest-free loan depending on your circumstances.
Common questions
Has the Household Support Fund ended?
Yes. Its funding period ran out on 31 March 2026 and was not extended. From 1 April 2026 it was replaced by the Crisis and Resilience Fund, delivered by councils in England in the same way.
Is the Household Support Fund the same as the Crisis and Resilience Fund?
No — they are two different schemes with different names, but the Crisis and Resilience Fund was set up specifically to replace the Household Support Fund and serves the same purpose, delivered by the same councils.
How do I apply for the scheme that replaced the Household Support Fund?
Contact your council in England and ask about its Crisis and Resilience Fund scheme. Some councils still refer to “household support” on their own websites, so it is worth searching for both names.
What if my council’s website still talks about the Household Support Fund?
That page is likely to be out of date. The national scheme’s funding ran out in March 2026 and was not extended, though a council’s own page may not always reflect that yet. Ask specifically about current crisis support rather than assuming the old page is accurate.
Can I still apply for the Household Support Fund?
No, you cannot apply for it — it no longer exists. Apply to your council’s Crisis and Resilience Fund scheme instead if you live in England.
Did the Household Support Fund cover Scotland, Wales or Northern Ireland?
No, it was England only, throughout its life. Scotland has the Scottish Welfare Fund, Wales has the Discretionary Assistance Fund, and Northern Ireland has Discretionary Support.
Related guides
- The Crisis and Resilience Fund: help from your council in England
- Scottish Welfare Fund: Crisis Grants and Community Care Grants explained
- Discretionary Assistance Fund (DAF): emergency grants in Wales
- Discretionary Support in Northern Ireland: grant or interest-free loan?
- Council Tax Reduction: how much you could get off your bill
Information on this page was checked against the official guidance on 25 August 2026. The source page was last updated on 31 March 2026.
This is general information, not financial or legal advice. Money Decisions UK is not authorised by the Financial Conduct Authority and does not arrange, recommend or introduce any credit, debt or mortgage product.