Crisis and Resilience Fund (CRF)
Contents
Crisis support
Crisis support helps when a sudden event puts your basic needs at risk. This support is for emergencies only and is short term.
Most people will be better supported by our resilience services and not crisis support.
A crisis may include:
- a fire, flood or serious problem in your home
- sudden loss of access to food or heating
- theft or fraud that leaves you without access to money
- sudden failure of an essential item, such as a cooker or fridge, where this creates a risk to health or safety
- emergency travel needed to keep your job
- a sudden health emergency or a new terminal diagnosis where urgent support is needed
Most people will be directed to resilience services.
These services can help you to:
- check your benefit entitlement
- manage debt
- reduce bills
- improve your long-term financial stability
This is the most suitable option if your situation is ongoing or not caused by a sudden event.
Applying for crisis support
Before starting your application, check the guidance below to understand whether you are eligible, what to do if you cannot apply online and what you will need to prepare.
You should only apply if you meet the criteria and can provide evidence.
This helps make sure support is available for people in the most serious situations.
If you apply and do not meet the criteria, your application will be declined.
Check if you should apply
Crisis support is only for sudden emergencies. It provides small, short-term help for essential items you need straight away.
You can apply if:
- the situation is sudden and unexpected
- there is an immediate risk to your health or safety
- you need to pay for essential costs within the next few days
You should not apply if you:
- have ongoing difficulty with everyday costs, debt or regular bills
- have no money at the end of the month
- want to replace old or worn-out items
- face a situation that could be planned for
- cannot provide evidence of a crisis
- can use savings or other funds
Crisis support will not pay debts, routine bills or ongoing costs.
If your situation is not an emergency, our resilience services can help with benefits, budgeting, debt advice and long-term financial support.
If you cannot use the online form, you can still apply.
You can:
- contact the Customer Services team, who can complete the form with you
- visit a West Northamptonshire Council library or the One Stop Shop
- ask staff to help you scan or upload documents
We will support you to apply in a way that meets your needs.
A trusted person can apply for you.
Such as:
- a family member
- a friend
- a carer
- a support worker
They must have your permission and provide your details as we may still need to speak with you.
Evidence
Before we can assess your application, we need to understand your situation.
You may be asked to provide evidence to show what has happened and why you need support.
Preparing this in advance can help avoid delays.
You must provide clear evidence of the crisis when you apply.
If you do not provide evidence, your application will be declined.
Examples of evidence include:
- a police crime number
- insurance reports
- letters from your employer, landlord or utility provider
- medical documents
- repair quotes
- bank statements
- evidence of heating oil costs
If your documents are not clear, you may be asked to bring them to a West Northamptonshire Council library or the One Stop Shop so they can be checked in person.
What happens next
Once you have submitted your application, we will review the information and evidence you have provided.
We may contact you if we need more details before making a decision about your request for support.
Depending on your situation, you may receive support to help you out.
These include:
- a cash-out voucher
- a digital voucher
- an essential item
We will decide the most suitable type of support for your situation.
A member of our team will contact you by phone.
This is to:
- confirm the details of your application
- discuss the support you may need
The call is usually short. We will not ask for bank passwords or PIN numbers.
If we cannot contact you after several attempts, we may close your application.
Read our crisis support policy and guidance below.
Last updated 01 April 2026