Household Support Fund - ends March 2026

Crisis and Resilience Fund – from April 2026

The Department for Work and Pensions has announced new funding to support people who are in financial crisis. This will replace the current Household Support Fund, which will end on 31 March 2026.

The new Crisis and Resilience Fund aims to help people experiencing a sudden, unexpected expense or loss of income, whilst also helping with longer term financial resilience through greater access to welfare and debt advice across the district.

This is a 3-year programme and we will bring new initiatives into the programme during 2026/27 . The Council is scheduled to decide on the delivery plan for the new scheme at 14 April Executive meeting.

We will keep you informed about progress and we will add more details to this webpage as further details emerge and any new schemes are implemented including who is eligible and how to apply.

Cost of living

We know that many people in the district are struggling with the rising costs of living.

Bradford Council has been allocated funding from the government’s Household Support Fund to help residents who would otherwise struggle to buy food, keep their home warm, pay essential utility bills or meet other essential living costs.

On this page:

Household Support Fund

The government has provided Household Support Funding to local authorities.

Funded by the UK Government.

Having consulted with local organisations about how best to help people in Bradford District, we have chosen to spend the money in the following ways:

Supporting foodbanks and organisations that help people in need of food

We are providing funding to support local food banks and voluntary and community organisations that support people in need of food.

Anyone in immediate need of emergency food, or low cost food should look at the Bradford Foodbanks website for information on what is available nearby. You can search the website using your postcode.

Some foodbanks and food pantries allow you to refer yourself, others ask for a referral from an organisation that is helping you already, for example a community group, your GP or children’s school. All this information is on the Foodbanks website.

Some voluntary organisations in the district have been funded from HSF to provide assistance may with emergency food. You can find a list of them here.

Supporting Welcoming Spaces

We are providing grants of £500 or £1000 to community and faith organisations to provide access to a warm and welcoming space for local people, right through the year.

We have also allocated money to our libraries and museums that are offering warm and welcoming spaces to help with the cost of providing drinks.

Learn more and find your nearest Welcoming Space.

Emergency fuel help

We have a limited fund that may be able to provide emergency help with prepayment fuel meter top ups.

If you have a prepayment meter, please ensure you have contacted your energy supplier to see if they can help. This information from Citizens Advice may be useful.

If you still need help and you are in receipt of one of the following benefits, please contact one of our partner advice services who can offer advice and help:

  • Universal Credit
  • Income based JSA
  • Income related ESA
  • Income Support
  • Pension Credits
  • Tax Credits

Advice Services:

If you pay for your fuel on a normal meter (one that lets you pay for energy after you use it rather than before) you should contact your fuel supplier to ask for help.

See what help has been made available for energy costs.

Essential household goods

The council’s Assisted Purchase Scheme is a low cost solution for people to buy essential items such as beds, electric cookers, fridge freezers, microwaves and washing machines.

Apply for the Assisted Purchase Scheme.

Helping carers

We are working with Carers’ Resource to support unpaid carers in the most need with food costs and other related needs.

Supporting the Warm Homes, Healthy People service

We are giving additional funds to the Warm Homes Healthy People Service which works with people who are vulnerable to illness as a result of cold, damp housing conditions by providing energy saving advice and measures to help reduce bills, and helping with heating system repairs.

Supporting child safe sleeping

We are funding a voluntary organisation so they can provide beds, bedding and safety equipment to families in need, with new babies or young children. This is by professional referral only.

Helping low-income households with energy and food costs

Some households in the Bradford district will be receiving extra support to help with energy and food costs over Winter.

Payments are being made in December 2025 to help all low-income households, including families with children, in receipt of Council Tax Reduction (CTR) with energy and food costs due to the rising cost of living. CTR households will receive £80 plus £50 per eligible child. The payments will be issued in time for Christmas 2025.

There is no application process for these payments. We will work out from our records who qualifies and send the money automatically.

Learn more about Council Tax Reduction.

Additional help

Find advice, guidance and tips on the Cost of Living Bradford website.

Check the Help for Households website for the Government's full range of Cost of Living Support.

Other pages in this section