Purpose

From 1 April 2026, the Council will receive funding to deliver the Government funded Crisis and Resilience Fund (CRF) in Lincolnshire.

The CRF requires the council to allocate a proportion of the funding to implement or further develop resilience services to help people build financial resilience and better manage financial shocks, preventing occurrence, recurrence and escalation of crisis.

Debt advice is a regulated financial activity and is authorised and regulated by the Financial Conduct Authority (FCA), unless appropriate exemptions or exclusions are in place.

Citizens Advice Lincolnshire has a well-established presence and infrastructure within Lincolnshire and already receives grant funding from Lincolnshire County Council to support its core service provision. All three branches are authorised by the FCA.

Awarding a grant agreement to Citizens Advice Lincolnshire will provide a countywide outreach service, which will positively impact on CRF outcomes, including reducing priority debt, increasing access to appropriate and quality advice, maximising income and decreasing the need for crisis payments.

Decision

The Director of Adult Care and Community Wellbeing approves the award of a grant agreement with a value of £790,100 to Citizens Advice Lincolnshire for the period from 1st April 2026 to 31st March 2027.

Alternative options considered

Consideration has been given to undertaking a competitive procurement process to identify a suitable provider to deliver the requirements under a contract for services, however, the conditions and proposed use of the funding are such that a Grant Funding Agreement is an appropriate and suitable mechanism through which to achieve the required funding outcomes. In addition, due to the short timescale between the publication of the scheme guidance (January 2026) and the requirements to commence delivery of the CRF from 1 April 2026, the undertaking of a competitive procurement process would result in delays to commencement that could negatively impact the achievement of planned outcomes.