From 1 April 2026, the Crisis and Resilience Fund replaced Household Support Fund and Discretionary Housing Payments. The Fund includes Crisis Payment and Housing Payment.
The fund runs until 31 March 2029.
To apply for Crisis Payment (previously known as the Household Support Fund), use Crisis Payment application form. To apply for Housing Payment (previously known as the Discretionary Housing Payment), use the Housing Payment application form.
To apply for Community Support Grant, use the Community Support Grant application form.
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What is the Crisis and Resilience Fund (CRF)?
The Crisis and Resilience Fund (CRF) supports low-income households struggling with everyday costs or facing a financial shock. This could include people who are finding it difficult to afford essentials like food, rent or energy. A sudden, unexpected expense or drop in income, such as a broken appliance, changes to transport or an unexpected bill, can quickly push a household into crisis.
The fund also supports activity that builds individual and community financial resilience.
What type of support is available?
Crisis payment
Emergency support for essential needs when someone has no other options. This may include help with:
- Emergency food parcels
- Energy (gas, electricity or oil) and water bills
- Basic items for your home (for example: household appliances, furniture, clothing/ bedding, personal care items)
- Transport
Housing payment
Financial support towards housing needs. This may include help with:
- Rent costs
- Storage or removal costs
For more details, please visit Crisis and Resilience Fund - Housing Payments.
Who can apply?
You must:
- Be a Coventry resident
- Be aged 16 or over and live independently from parents or carers
- Be able to show that you are in financial hardship
- If you are applying for housing payments (former Discretionary Housing Payments) and basic household items for resettlement (former Community Support Grant), you must be claiming means-tested benefits (for example, Universal Credit, Pension Credit, Council Tax Support and so on).
How to apply?
To apply, please complete the relevant online form and provide information about your situation. You may also be asked to provide supporting documents to help us assess your application.
Crisis payment (previously known as the Household Support Fund)
Housing payment (previously known as the Discretionary Housing Payment)
Where to get help if you cannot apply by yourself?
If you cannot complete the online form yourself, there are several ways to get help:
Ask someone you trust
You can ask a family member, relative, friend, neighbour or someone you trust to help you complete the form, or they can apply on your behalf.
Contact the Council
- For housing payments and basic household items for resettlement, please call 024 7683 3773 (11am to 1pm, Monday to Friday, excluding bank holidays) or email DGATeam@coventry.gov.uk
- For other support (such as emergency food parcels, energy and water bills, basic household items for non-resettlement, or transport), please call 08085 834333 or come to our Customer Service Centre, where staff can help you complete the application
What happens after you apply?
After you submit your application:
- We will review and assess your application
- If your application is successful, we will contact you with the outcome and how the support will be provided
- If your application is unsuccessful, we will explain the reasons
Customer Services
Open 9am–5pm Monday to Friday (excluding bank holidays). If you do need to call us, please try to avoid our busiest times of lunchtime and early afternoon. Many queries relating to Council Tax, benefits or bin and bulky waste collections can be dealt with directly by logging into My Account.
