Somerset Council has received £22.661 million from the Government to provide vital assistance to residents facing financial hardship and cost-of-living pressures in the county which are to be distributed over the next 3 years via the community sector and direct payments.
The funding, called the Crisis and Resilience Fund (CRF), is designed to offer targeted help to people facing sudden financial difficulties.
The support is provided in 3 ways:
Crisis payments
- Immediate, accessible financial support for families and individuals facing financial shocks or hardship
- Delivered through a cash-first approach to ensure dignity and choice, with flexibility for vouchers or goods-in-kind where needed
Resilience services
- Wraparound support to prevent recurring crises, including debt advice and budgeting guidance
- Income maximisation and benefits advice
- Employment and skills pathways
- Focus on building financial stability and reducing dependency on emergency support
Community coordination
- Working in partnership to ensure everyone in Somerset has access to the right support at the right time, to build resilient communities
- The CRF is being co-produced and delivered by a range of partner organisations across Somerset – the CRF Alliance
Somerset Council has appointed Citizens Advice Somerset as the CRF Alliance Lead to help it deliver support to Somerset communities using the funding. As Alliance Lead, Citizens Advice Somerset will work with Somerset Council and other Voluntary, Community, Faith and Social Enterprise (VCFSE) partners such as Age UK Somerset, Somerset Activity and Sports Partnership (SASP), Somerset Community Foundation and Thrive, to deliver targeted support, strengthen community resilience, provide crisis intervention, and ensure access to wellbeing and financial assistance for vulnerable residents.
More information about all the support available can be found on the Council’s Cost of living support page. To apply for crisis payments only, visit Citizens Advice Somerset’s Crisis and Resilience Fund page.
Claire Winter, Executive Director for Children, Families and Education at Somerset Council, said:
Our local VCFSE partners are in an excellent position to identify the needs of our most vulnerable residents early, and the work they do is well suited to giving these individuals the support they need.
This is why we’re really pleased to be working with Citizens Advice Somerset and other local partners to provide a wide variety of support for the people who need it, ensuring that everyone in Somerset has access to the right support at the right time.
Angela Kerr, CEO of Citizens Advice Somerset, said:
Citizens Advice Somerset is thrilled to have been confirmed as the Alliance Lead for the CRF across Somerset.
We’re looking forward to building on our existing work with VCFSE partners and Somerset Council, to make sure help and support is easily available at a local level.
Combining crisis payments with preventative and wraparound support will make a real difference.
The CRF ensures continued support for residents facing the ongoing pressure of rising living costs.
If parents are concerned about the change, especially during the Easter holidays, other existing sources of help are available.
Families of children receiving free school meals who are struggling with food costs during the Easter school break (3 April to 19 April 2026), can access Citizens Advice Somerset’s Easter Holiday Family Support service. Eligible households will receive supermarket vouchers funded by the CRF, upon completion of an application and submission of relevant evidence.
For further details, including eligibility and the application form, visit Citizens Advice Somerset’s Crisis and Resilience Fund page.
During the Easter break, families can also benefit from the Happy Healthy Holidays (HHH) programme organised by SASP, running from 3 April to 19 April 2026. Eligible families can register for holiday clubs and camps, which include meals.
There’s also:
- the Council’s #Help4All scheme,
- Community Hubs,
- Healthy Start – NHS – healthy food and milk and
- The Local Pantry Network in Somerset.
Urgent financial assistance is also available for households struggling to pay for heating oil. If you’re a low-income household and are at risk of running out visit Citizens Advice Somerset’s Crisis and Resilience Fund page for full details and to apply using the application form. Residents who are unable to use the internet should call 0808 278 7842 and select option 3.
