The Crisis and Resilience Fund (CRF)

The fund runs from 1 April 2026 to 31 March 2029. Councils must deliver it in line with national rules.

The fund has four parts:

1. Crisis Payments for emergency money help
2. Housing Payments to help with housing costs
3. Resilience Services to advise and support to build long‑term money skills
4. Community Coordination to work to link local support services

We’re now designing our local scheme to make sure it meets the needs of Newcastle residents.

Free school meals

Children who get free school meals will receive food vouchers for:

• Easter school holidays 2026
• May half term
• Summer school holidays

Crisis Payment scheme

Who can get help

You may get a Crisis Payment if:

• you are a householder
• you live in the City of Newcastle upon Tyne
• you’re 16 or over
• you don’t have enough money for an essential item or service due to a crisis
• you have no other way to stop serious harm or risk to you or a family member

What you can get

You can get quick money help for urgent needs, such as:

• food and energy
• essential furniture or appliances
• emergency housing costs
• transport or digital access

Most people will get a cash‑first payment. This means you’ll get money so you can choose what you need.

Who can apply

You can only ask for help from this fund if your family suddenly gets less money, stops getting money (not because of a Universal Credit sanction), or must pay for something unexpected.

You can:

• apply here  or
• telephone 0191 2787878 ask for ‘Housing Benefit” then select option 3 “Crisis and Housing Payment Fund’ Monday to Friday 9:30am till 3:30pm.

You will need

• an email address and / or telephone number
• provide 2 months bank statements
• evidence to support your claim

What to expect

We’ll make a decision as soon as we can.

If approved, you’ll get a cash voucher within 48 hours of sending your evidence (where possible). You can cash this at the Post Office.

If we refuse your application, we’ll tell you why and you can ask us to look at it again.

We may offer you support from money, housing or wellbeing services.

You may not get another Crisis Payment if you already received one in the last 12 months.

What the fund is not for

The fund is not:

• a guaranteed payment for everyone
• a replacement for benefits like Universal Credit
• long‑term income support
• a way to clear or repay debts

How to apply

You can apply by clicking on this link here.

You will need this information to hand:

• Details of your household income and expenditure
• Proof of 2 months bank statements
• Any other evidence to support your claim

Housing Payments help people who get Housing Benefit or the housing element of Universal Credit and cannot meet their housing costs.

They may cover:

• rent shortfalls
• removal costs

Housing Payments replace Discretionary Housing Payments from 1 April 2026. You can apply for a Housing Payment here.

Resilience and Community Cohesion

More details about these parts of the scheme will be available soon.

If you need support now, you can find free, confidential and impartial advice about debt, money, energy and utility costs on the Newcastle City Council website here.