The Crisis Resilience Fund (CRF) is made up of money we receive from the Government to help low income households who have been affected by a financial shock, an unexpected expense, or a sudden drop in income.
If you are a BANES resident on a low income and are struggling financially, you may be entitled to support with:
- food
- warm winter clothing
- energy costs (including heating oil)
- household bills
- essential travel costs
- essential furniture and household appliances
Please be aware that the fund is limited. Once we have allocated the available money, we will be unable to make any further payments.
Eligibility
To be eligible for a Crisis payment, you must:
- be aged 18 or over
- live in Bath and North East Somerset
- not have sufficient money to pay for daily living or essential items
- have experienced a sudden, unexpected expense or drop in income
- need specific essential household items that you are unable to afford yourself
We want to make sure support is shared fairly, so in most cases households will only receive one payment if they are eligible. In some exceptional circumstances, we may be able to offer additional help.
Our decision on whether we can offer you help will be based on your individual circumstances, including what resources you have available to you.
The amount you receive will depend on your individual situation and the evidence you provide, so that we can ensure the support meets your needs. Depending on what will help you most, we may provide cash, vouchers, or essential items and services.
Before you start
During the application, you must upload:
- Your latest wage slip, if you are employed
- Two months of recent bank statements, for all accounts you hold. These must clearly show all transactions. We assess your capital when reviewing applications, and your request may be refused if your savings or balance exceed our allowable limits.
If you do not provide all the requested information when applying, your application will be rejected, and you will have to reapply.
Apply for a Crisis Payment
To apply for the Crisis Payment Fund, please complete our online form.
Alternative formats
Paper forms are available on request; please email welfare_support@bathnes.gov.uk
If you need support completing the form online or on paper, please call 01225 477277 and select option 2. A member of staff will help you with your application.
What happens next?
We aim to process applications within 21 working days. However, please be aware that this may take longer due to the high volume of applications we receive.
Unless you have been asked to provide additional evidence, please do not submit further applications or contact us for updates while you're waiting for a response. This may delay the processing of your application.