The UK Government, through the Department of Work and Pensions, has introduced the Crisis and Resilience Fund (CRF) for local authorities for the period from April 2026 to March 2029.
Residents of Cheshire East who are experiencing financial hardship, will be able to access support through a range of schemes under the CRF
Residents can apply for one crisis payment of £200 from 20 April 2026 to 31 March 2027 through our portal Apply4.Online®.
Crisis support provides immediate financial assistance to people who are facing a short-term emergency. A crisis occurs when an individual or household is unable to meet essential and immediate needs due to a sudden financial shock or an unexpected reduction in income. It can also include situations such as accidents, health issues or household breakdowns that leave someone unable to afford basic necessities, including food, heating or essential household items.
Residents can apply for one crisis payment through Apply4.Online®.
If you are unable to complete the Apply4.Online® application yourself, you can ask any of the following to help you:
- a trusted family member
- a trusted friend
- a trusted professional already supporting you
When you apply through Apply4.Online® you will be asked to:
- provide details about who lives in your household
- complete a benefits calculator – this will check if you are receiving all the benefits you may be eligible for and provide links to make applications where needed
- provide financial information by telling us about the money coming into and out of your household, including income, expenditure, debt payments and any savings
- explain why you need crisis support
- agree to an identity check by verifying your name and address against your bank account
Apply for crisis support here:
Apply4.Online®
Guidance on completing the Apply4.Online® application form (PDF, 747KB).
This form also provides the option to apply for an oil support payment.
If your home is heated using oil and you are struggling to pay your heating costs, you can apply for one oil heating payment of £300.00 between 20 April 2026 to 31 March 2027 through our portal Apply4.Online®.
If you are unable to complete the Apply4.Online® application yourself, you can ask any of the following to help you:
- a trusted family member
- a trusted friend
- a trusted professional already supporting you
You may be able to get help with your oil costs if:
- You are on a low income, and
- Your oil tank is at 30% or less, meaning you are at risk of not being able to heat your home or have hot water.
Your oil tank gauge, or a smart monitoring app, will show how much oil you have. If it shows 30% or less, you may be eligible. You will be asked to provide evidence that you pay for home oil alongside a photo or screenshot of your tank gauge/smart app.
When you apply through Apply4.Online® you will be asked to:
- provide details about who lives in your household
- complete a benefits calculator – this will check if you are receiving all the benefits you are eligible for and provide links to make applications where needed
- tell us about the money coming into and out of your household, including income, expenditure, debt payments and any savings
- explain why you need crisis support
- tell us if your home is heated by oil and whether you are struggling to pay for this
- agree to an identity check
Apply for oil payment support here:
Apply4.Online®
Guidance on completing the Apply4.Online® application form (PDF, 747KB).
This form also provides the option to apply for crisis support.
Support for household essentials covering white goods and beds is available for residents who are financially vulnerable.
This support is available now.
- You must discuss your need for support with household essentials with a trusted professional who is currently working with you or knows your current situation. If appropriate, your trusted professional would then make a referral on your behalf to a charitable organisation.
- A trusted professional is a person who works in an organisation that supports adults and families. A trusted professional can work in a range of organisations, for example they may work in health, education, housing support and advice, faith or third sector organisations. This is not an exhaustive list and if the professional is unsure if they can make a referral on your behalf, please request that they email the Cheshire East CRF Team via CRF@cheshireeast.gov.uk
Support with housing costs through the CRF aims to provide short-term help with your housing costs. This support can give you some breathing space while you work on improving your housing or personal situation. It is not meant to provide long-term support, but this may be available in exceptional cases.
If you are unable to complete the CRF housing costs application yourself, you can ask any of the following to help you:
- a trusted family member
- a trusted friend
- a trusted professional already supporting you
This support is available now.
Please follow the link to the Crisis and Resilience Fund housing payments for more information about what this support can cover and how to apply.
A number of community support schemes have been funded across Cheshire East. You can find information about some of these here: Community Support
Cheshire East is working to strengthen and enhance the networks within our communities to ensure there is a clear pathway between crisis support and longer‑term resilience services. Our aim is to improve residents’ financial resilience and to help build a stronger, more coordinated local support landscape.
To achieve this, we are continuing to work with local partners across voluntary, community and faith organisations to bring together a wide range of services that can help households develop the skills, knowledge and confidence needed to manage their finances and improve their overall stability.
This part of our Crisis and Resilience Fund offer is currently being developed. Further information on the community resilience support available, including how to access it, will be published on this page as soon as the details are confirmed.
Trusted professionals will be able to make referrals to Exceptional Cost Support from 8 April 2026.
Exceptional cost support is available for financially vulnerable residents to help them make significant, positive and sustainable change. All other support options must be explored before this route can be considered.
- You must discuss your need for exceptional cost support with a trusted professional. They will talk to you about why the support is needed, how it will have a positive impact and what steps you are taking to reduce the need for similar help in the future.
- A trusted professional is a person who works in an organisation that supports adults and families. A trusted professional can work in a range of organisations, for example they may work in health, education, housing support and advice, faith or third sector organisations. This is not an exhaustive list and if the professional is unsure if they can make a referral on your behalf, please request that they email the Cheshire East CRF Team via CRF@cheshireeast.gov.uk
- You will be required to provide evidence supporting your financial vulnerability.
- If your request relates to debt, you must provide evidence that you have contacted a debt advice organisation and have a debt plan in place or are in the process of setting one up. Referrals cannot be made without this.
- Where appropriate, your trusted professional will make a referral on your behalf.
- All applications are considered by the CRF Decision Panel, which meets monthly. The trusted professional who makes the referral will be informed of the outcome.