Is the Household Support Fund still open in 2026/27?
No: the Household Support Fund is now historic. GOV.UK confirms that its final extension covered 1 April 2025 to 31 March 2026, so households cannot make a new 2026/27 claim under that funding round.
From April 2026, the UK Government’s replacement framework is the Crisis and Resilience Fund. HM Treasury announced funding of £1 billion a year through this framework, combining crisis help with longer-term support and incorporating funding previously used for the Household Support Fund and Discretionary Housing Payments.
Warning: pages referring to a Household Support Fund deadline after 31 March 2026 may be outdated unless they clearly describe a council’s new locally named scheme. Check the publication date and follow the application link from your council’s official website.
This change does not mean emergency help has disappeared. It means the name, qualifying rules and form may now differ between councils; SupportFund’s emergency help guide can help you identify other routes while you check your local scheme.
Household Support Fund versus the 2026/27 replacement
The practical difference is that residents should now search for their council’s crisis support, local welfare assistance or Crisis and Resilience Fund provision rather than relying on an old Household Support Fund page. GOV.UK directs residents to their local council for locally administered support.
| Feature | Household Support Fund | 2026/27 position |
|---|---|---|
| Status | Historic; final period ended 31 March 2026 | Crisis and Resilience Fund framework applies from April 2026 |
| Administration | English local authorities under DWP guidance | Support remains locally delivered, with council rules and scheme names varying |
| Possible help | Historic awards included essential living costs and household bills | Depends on the council’s published 2026/27 policy and available budget |
| How to apply | Historic council forms, referrals or targeted awards | Use the current council website, welfare team or approved referral partner |
| Entitlement | No automatic national entitlement | No single UK-wide award or uniform eligibility test |
The final Household Support Fund operated in England. Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland use separate devolved welfare and crisis-support arrangements, so residents should consult their national government or council rather than an English application page.
Who may qualify for council crisis support?
There is no single national 2026/27 means test for these local awards. Each council publishes its own policy, which may consider household income, accessible savings, immediate essential needs, caring responsibilities, disability-related costs and whether other help is available.
You do not necessarily need to receive Universal Credit. However, councils can prioritise particular residents or restrict repeat applications when demand exceeds the budget, so the relevant authority’s current policy is decisive.
- Food and essential household supplies: where there is an immediate risk that a household cannot meet basic needs.
- Energy or water: help may involve a grant, voucher, supplier referral or debt-support arrangement rather than cash.
- Essential appliances: some councils support necessary items following a breakdown, move or emergency.
- Housing pressure: councils may assess rent shortfalls through separate housing support or homelessness-prevention routes.
Check benefit entitlement alongside any local application using SupportFund’s benefits calculator guidance. If rent is at risk, act early and review rent arrears support rather than waiting for the council grant decision.
How to find and apply to your council’s scheme
- Identify the correct council. Use GOV.UK’s local council finder with your postcode; this is normally the council responsible for local welfare support, not always the authority named on an old search result.
- Find the current 2026/27 policy. Search the council website for “Crisis and Resilience Fund”, “local welfare assistance”, “emergency support” and “cost of living help”.
- Check whether applications are open. Some help is application-based, while other support is provided through referrals or targeted council records.
- Gather evidence. The council may request recent bank statements, proof of identity and address, benefit or wage information, bills, tenancy details and evidence of the emergency.
- Explain the immediate consequence. State what has happened, what essential need cannot be met and what will occur without help, using dates and actual bills rather than general wording.
Application tip: If a bill is due, an energy meter is nearly empty or food has run out, say so clearly and provide the relevant date or evidence. A concise account of the immediate risk is usually more useful to a decision-maker than a long description without documents.
Keep a screenshot or confirmation number after submitting the form. If the matter is urgent, telephone the council and ask whether it offers an emergency decision, voucher or referral route while the main application is assessed.
What to do if support is refused or unavailable
Ask the council for its written decision, the policy used and details of any review process. A review is strongest when it identifies missing evidence, a factual error or a part of the published eligibility policy that was overlooked.
If the scheme has exhausted its budget, ask about local welfare assistance, food referrals, energy hardship help, council tax support and homelessness prevention. Council Tax Support is a separate local scheme and usually requires its own claim; see Council Tax Support guidance.
- Contact your energy or water supplier’s affordability team before arrears escalate.
- Ask the council whether it accepts professional referrals from advice agencies, schools, social workers or health services.
- Request regulated debt advice if several priority bills are unpaid.
- Tell the council immediately if children, an older person or a disabled household member faces a health or safety risk.
Rates and local schemes can change during the financial year. Confirm current funding rules, benefit rates and application arrangements on GOV.UK and your local authority’s official website before acting.