Agenda item

Following the Government’s announcement about the establishment of the Crisis and Resilience Fund (CRF) to replace the Household Support Fund (HSF) and Discretionary Housing Payments (DHP), this report sets out the Council’s proposed approach to use and allocation of the CRF focusing on the provision of crisis support and the strengthening of resilience within local communities.

Cabinet RESOLVED:

(1)    To note the confirmation that Brent Council would receive a grant of £7.8m from the Crisis and Resilience Fund (CRF) that was strictly ring-fenced and could only be used for the purposes set out within the fund to support households and communities experiencing financial hardship.

(2)    To approve the proposed approach for allocating and distributing the CRF as set out in paragraphs 7.0 – 7.24 of the report.

(3)    To note and approve that the Corporate Director for Residents & Housing Services in consultation with the Cabinet Member for Customer Experience, Resident Support and Culture would establish such detailed criteria as may be necessary to enable appropriate allocation of funding in accordance with (2) above and thereafter amend the eligibility criteria during the life time of this scheme. if necessary, for the reasons detailed in the report.

Eligible for call-in: Yes

Deadline for submission of call-in: 6pm on Monday 16 March 2026

Councillor Knight (as Cabinet Member for Customer Experience, Resident Support and Culture) introduced a report from the Corporate Director Residents & Housing Services setting out the Council's proposed approach to the use and allocation of the Crisis and Resilience Fund (CRF), which had been established to replace the Household Support Fund (HSF) and Discretionary Housing Payments (DHP) from 1 April 2026.

In presenting the report, Councillor Knight began by advising members of the background to the establishment of the Crisis and Resilience Fund with Brent’s allocation for 2026-27 totalling £7.8m, representing an increase of £1.3m (19%) on previous funding.  Recognising the benefits of the funding provided in enabling the Council to combine the provision of immediate assistance with longer term work to build financial resilience, members noted the way in which use of the funding had been designed to support residents across key areas of identified need.  This included the proposed allocation of over £1.6m for Discretionary Housing Payments alongside £100,000 for homelessness prevention (aligned with the Preventing Homelessness Programme) and the investment of £1.56m in the Resident Support Fund (building on the support provided for 2,220 Brent residents last year) with £2.18m also committed for Free School Meals holiday vouchers.  The opportunity was also taken to highlight how the allocation of funding was being used to support preventative measures aimed at ensuring residents avoided falling into difficulties, involving the continued support of partners such as Sufra through the allocation of £400,000 for the New Horizon Centre and ongoing backing for Citizens Advice Brent, local debt advice services and the Credit Union in an effort to tackle high-cost debt and support families back to stability.

In welcoming the report, and uplift in allocation of funding identified, members expressed support for the shift in national policy towards strengthening resilience alongside crisis response, enabling councils to invest in preventative, early-intervention approaches in a way that was designed to reduce future demand for emergency support.  This approach was felt to strongly align with Brent’s existing delivery model, building on the established work of the Council’s community hubs, community wellbeing service and the Council’s commitment to accessible neighbourhood support, with specific support expressed for the focus on the four key strands outlined in the supporting guidance: crisis support, housing-related support, resilience, and prevention.  In terms of Housing-related support, members commended the targeted approach towards early intervention for residents at risk of homelessness, including assistance with rent arrears, deposits, and other housing-related costs alongside tenancy sustainment advice and advocacy.  Reference was also made to the new Housing Payment Policy due to be introduced from 1 April 2026 (in order to replace the previous DHP policy) with the aim of aligning housing-related financial support with the Council’s wider homelessness prevention objectives.

Support was also expressed for the proposed use of the CRF to continue providing Free School Meal (FSM) vouchers to eligible children during school holidays as a means of not only addressing child poverty but also in seeking to alleviate food insecurity and reduce household financial pressures.  The allocation of funding to provide targeted support for residents with immigration-related needs, including those in need with No Recourse to Public Funds (NRPF) was also welcomed in an effort to build a more equitable borough and ensure that vulnerable individuals and families, including those with serious health conditions or children at risk, could continue to access essential household support, advice, and guidance, in line with the CRF principles.

Members were also keen to recognise the way in which the proposed used of the Fund had been designed to reflect the Council’s ongoing commitment to supporting residents through both immediate pressures and the longer-term challenges faced, with the emphasis on practical early intervention and prevention together with the intention to retain flexibility within the scheme criteria so that support could continue to respond to local need across the lifetime of the fund.  Members noted this would also involve close work with voluntary and community partners in order to provide a more coherent, preventative offer and timely support aimed at addressing and seeking to reduce wider structural inequalities and help residents feel more secure and better able to thrive.

In also taking the opportunity to reflect on the recent Covid National Day of Reflection in remembering those who had lost their lives during the pandemic and honouring the work of those involved in providing the initial and subsequent response (which it was noted had included delivery of the Household Support Fund) Cabinet RESOLVED:

(1)    To note the confirmation that Brent Council would receive a grant of £7.8m from the Crisis and Resilience Fund (CRF) that was strictly ring-fenced and could only be used for the purposes set out within the fund to support households and communities experiencing financial hardship.

(2)    To approve the proposed approach for allocating and distributing the CRF as set out in paragraphs 7.0 – 7.24 of the report.

(3)    To note and approve that the Corporate Director for Residents & Housing Services in consultation with the Cabinet Member for Customer Experience, Resident Support and Culture would establish such detailed criteria as may be necessary to enable appropriate allocation of funding in accordance with (2) above and thereafter amend the eligibility criteria during the life time of this scheme. if necessary, for the reasons detailed in the report.