Crisis and Resilience Fund
The Crisis and Resilience Fund provides financial support to residents in Telford & Wrekin who are experiencing financial hardship or a sudden change in circumstances that puts their wellbeing or housing at risk.
The fund is nationally funded by the UK Government, with Telford & Wrekin Council responsible for administering the support locally in line with national guidance. This allows the Council to ensure support is delivered in a way that best meets the needs of local residents.
What is the Crisis and Resilience Fund?
The Crisis and Resilience Fund has been established to help residents who are struggling to meet essential costs or who are facing an unexpected financial crisis.
The fund aims to:
provide short term financial assistance where there is an immediate need
help residents remain safe and secure in their homes
prevent financial difficulties from escalating into more serious problems
support people while they work towards greater financial stability
Support is targeted at residents who have limited alternative options and where financial assistance can make a meaningful difference.
Financial support you can apply for
Eligible residents can apply for the following forms of direct financial support:
Crisis Payments
Crisis Payments provide short term financial support for residents facing an immediate financial emergency. This may include help with essential living costs where a person has no other reasonable means of support available.
Crisis Payments are intended to help people manage a difficult situation while they stabilise their circumstances.
Housing Payments
Housing Payments provide financial support for residents who are receiving Housing Benefit or Universal Credit and are struggling with housing related costs, such as rent or other essential housing expenses.
These payments are designed to help prevent homelessness or housing insecurity where financial assistance can help someone remain in their home.
All applications are assessed based on individual circumstances and in line with national guidance.
Financial Resilience Support
In addition to providing direct financial assistance, the Council is developing a broader resilience support offer to help residents improve their financial wellbeing and reduce the risk of future crises.
This will focus on helping people build long-term financial resilience, alongside access to advice and practical support. Whilst this programme is still being developed, with further details to be announced later in 2026, we are already using the using the Crisis and Resilience Fund to support a range of initiatives that help residents become more financially resilient.
Examples of how the fund is already being used are set out below.
We are using the Crisis and Resilience Fund to develop an income maximisation service that will help residents access the financial support they may be entitled to. As this service develops, our Income Maximisation Officer will work with communities, local organisations and residents to raise awareness of available support and help people improve their financial resilience.
The fund is being used to provide additional spaces for the Happy, Healthy, Active Holidays (HHAH) scheme. This scheme offers funded holiday clubs for children in reception through to Year 11. The clubs are free to attend and provide a range of fun activities, and a nutritious meal each day. For more information and eligibility please visit Happy Healthy Active Holidays website.
We have used the fund to deliver a Free School Meals auto-enrolment project to identify children who were entitled to Free School Meals but were not registered to receive them. As a result, hundreds of additional children are expected to benefit from a free, nutritious meal, saving families around £500 per child each year. More information about Free School Meals and how to make a claim can be found on our Free School Meal pages www.telford.gov.uk/fsm.
In addition we already signpost and refer people applying to our crisis support schemes to trusted partner organisations that can provide additional advice and support to help improve financial resilience, including:
The Citizens Advice Telford and the Wrekin – is an independent charity that provides free, confidential, independent and impartial advice. They provide a wide range of advice including benefits, debt and finance, work, health, care and disability and housing. They can provide help over the phone or face to face including in your community. For more information about Citizens Advice including the out reach services in the community at Home Page | Citizens Advice Telford and the Wrekin
Age UK Shropshire Telford & Wrekin – is an independent local charity working in the local community providing services for older people, their families and carers. This includes Benefits advice – providing free benefits checks, assistance with claim forms and help appealing decisions. For more information about Age UK Shropshire Telford & Wrekin please visit their website Welcome to Age UK Shropshire Telford & Wrekin.
Need help or advice?
If you are unsure which type of support is right for you, or if you need help with an application, support is available to help guide you to the most appropriate option by calling 01952 380400.
Last updated : 15 September 2026