Crisis and Resilience Fund replaces Household Support Fund focus

The Household Support Fund's focus on prevention moves to a new Crisis and Resilience Fund (CRF) from April 2026, according to Cornwall Council's winter wellbeing service¹. Together for Short Lives, a charity supporting families of seriously ill children, reports that the Household Support Fund is replaced by the Crisis and Resilience Fund as of 1 April 2026, and that all local authorities should have dedicated Crisis and Resilience Fund websites running by that date, with details of the support available and how to apply².

Cornwall Council sets out the change in its account of the Winter Wellbeing partnership, which it says has run for over 15 years. Among the partnership's reported results, 9,170 households were helped with energy payments through the Household Support Fund, and the council states: "New focus on prevention from April 2026, with the new Crisis and Resilience Fund (CRF)."¹

The charity's article, published on 30 March 2026, concerns sharp rises in heating oil costs across the UK and Ireland, which it attributes to the ongoing conflict in the Middle East. It says the price of kerosene has been particularly affected compared with mains gas and electricity, which it says are protected from more immediate price rises through the energy price cap. Some families it supports have seen heating oil costs double, while others have had orders cancelled, had difficulty placing orders with usual suppliers, or waited longer than usual for delivery². It reports that around 1.5 million homes in the UK rely on heating oil, many in rural areas, and that heating oil is the main fuel for more than 60% of homes in Northern Ireland².

Cornwall Council reports that fuel poverty affects 12.2% of all households in Cornwall (32,422 homes) and 17.1% on the Isles of Scilly (174 homes), rates it says are higher than England (11.4%) and the South West (10.2%), citing DESNZ Fuel Poverty statistics 2025 (2023 data)¹. Its Winter Wellbeing service lists among its results 1,013 hospital admissions prevented, 713 households remaining in work and progressing towards work, 2,316 households assisted through the Warm Home Discount Industry Initiative, and 2,583 households supported to make their homes warmer under LA Flexible Eligibility (Energy Company Obligation ECO4)¹.

Why it matters for households

From 1 April 2026 the route to local help with energy costs changes name and emphasis: the Household Support Fund's prevention focus gives way to the Crisis and Resilience Fund, and councils are expected to set out their own CRF support and application details on dedicated websites from that date¹. Households in fuel poverty, and those relying on heating oil in particular, are the groups both organisations describe as affected. Cornwall Council's Winter Wellbeing service says it can help people living with a long-term health condition, those at risk of poor health, carers of a vulnerable person, households with a child aged 19 or under, and anyone worried about a cold or damp home, with home visits and follow-up support including access to heating and insulation grants, advice on bills and damp, debt and benefits advice, and health information. It gives a freephone number, 0800 954 1956, and an email address, advice@cep.org.uk, for advice and access to services provided by over 30 partner organisations¹. Together for Short Lives advises households struggling with heating oil costs to compare quotes from several suppliers, buy ahead of time where possible, consider joining or setting up a heating oil club, have boilers serviced annually, and ask their local authority about help².

What happens next

Together for Short Lives states that all local authorities should have dedicated Crisis and Resilience Fund websites up and running by 1 April 2026². No further timetable for the fund has been reported in these sources. Households can read the site's UK preparedness guide for general background on planning for utility and cost pressures.