Purpose

This report sets out proposals for funding allocations from the new Crisis and Resilience Fund to support Buckinghamshire residents between April 2026 and March 2027 in line with government guidance.

Decision

The Government had launched a new Crisis and Resilience Fund (CRF) to support people who experience a financial shock and to support financial resilience. This fund replaced the Household Support Fund (HSF) and the Discretionary Housing Payment (DHP). The Government had reduced funding to Buckinghamshire Council for assisting individuals facing financial hardship. Over the past two years, total grant support had been reduced by more than £600,000.

The new Government guidance set out detailed requirements that the Council must follow to administer the grant, including a significant change in approach from the previous Household Support Fund. The Government was seeking to shift funding away from crisis support and towards prevention and financial resilience. The new objectives of the fund were to provide a safety net for those on low incomes who encounter a financial shock and to invest in building local financial resilience.

The new government grant conditions affected families receiving free school meal vouchers during holidays. Previously, eligible families automatically received vouchers, but this was no longer compatible with grant conditions. Now, local authorities must target support to households in financial crisis and who were experiencing sudden financial shock, based on evidence of individual need, rather than giving vouchers to all recipients of free school meals who might not require that support on a regular basis.

The Council was committed to continuing to support its residents and communities in financial hardship. The Council was aware how vital financial support was for our residents and how much they valued the vital crisis support provided. The Council would do this through supporting families to access the Holiday Activities and Food (HAF) programme, which included providing hot meals for children during the school holidays; through supporting residents to access crisis payments and helping residents to access money and debt advice through the Council’s commissioned service with Citizens Advice.

The Council also planned to introduce a new financial resilience community fund of £800,000 in the first year to help communities manage the cost of living. This fund aimed to empower voluntary and community groups to develop innovative ways to support financial stability locally. The Council would collaborate with Heart of Bucks to ensure strong partnerships and effective community involvement.

RESOLVED that

1)      the arrangements for deploying the new Crisis and Resilience Fund allocation for 2026/27 be approved.

2)      the reduction in government funding and new Government guidance on grant expenditure to support those in financial crisis and to support financial resilience be noted.

3)      the new Crisis and Resilience Fund policy as set out in Appendix 1 be agreed.