New Crisis and Resilience Fund a lifeline for those in financial difficulty, say StepChange

^{11 June 2025}

StepChange Debt Charity, the UK’s largest provider of debt advice and solutions has welcomed the Government’s new £1bn Crisis and Resilience Fund, calling it a “lifeline” for those facing financial difficulty.

The new fund will supersede the previously temporary Household Support Fund, and is to be placed on a permanent footing, which StepChange has long been calling for, as a means to support the most financially vulnerable.

The fund aims to enable local authorities through a multi-year settlement to provide preventative support to communities when people are faced with a financial crisis. It also seeks to support the Government’s ambition to end dependence on emergency food parcels.

Reacting to the news, StepChange’s Chief Client Officer Richard Lane, said:

"The Government's commitment in today's spending review to a permanent Crisis and Resilience Fund will provide a lifeline to people facing, or on the precipice of, financial difficulty. The Household Support Fund had long been a key asset for local authorities to support the thousands struggling to make ends meet and facing destitution, but repeated temporary extensions and a lack of permanency has left services in limbo, and we’ve consistently campaigned for it to be made permanent. This announcement confirming a long-term scheme is a big step forward and a vital foundation to support local areas to build joined-up support for people experiencing difficult life events and financial crisis."