Chancellor Rachel Reeves has confirmed the rollout of a new Crisis and Resilience Fund (CRF, delivering emergency support payments for hard-up families. Households will be eligible for hundreds of pounds in some areas if they apply to their local councils. The fund aims to support people struggling to afford basic essntials, such as food, gas and electricity.

Local councils will have grants to hand out to those deemed to be in need of support. Anyone can apply for money and households don’t have to be claiming benefits. But local councils will prioritise those in most urgent need of support, BirminghamLive reported.

The CRF will replace the existing Household Support Fund (HSF) from April and will work in a similar way.

Reacting to the announcement, the charity Russel Trust commented: “The commitment to multi-year funding for the CRF is extremely welcome.

“It is the kind of investment that can provide a lifeline to people when they are struggling to cope with the cost of living and reduce the need for emergency food to fill the gap in a crisis, as well as helping people onto a more secure financial footing for the future.”

There’s also speculation further cost-of-living support for households could come from this fund, as the conflict in the Middle East threatens to push up costs for households. Local authorities can also give support such as food vouchers or council tax discounts.