Many households in Somerset face significant financial hardship, including food and fuel price concerns.
At a meeting of the Executive Committee (11 March 2026), the Council approved a £21.5m three-year Crisis and Resilience Fund (CRF) to support residents on low incomes.
The CRF will enable the local authority to target assistance to those who experience a financial shock, and will be used to build long-term financial resilience for vulnerable households.
Awarded by the Department for Work and Pensions (DWP), the grant programme will begin on 1 April 2026. It replaces the Household Support Fund (HSF) which ends on 31 March.
The CRF will be used for crisis payments (fast emergency help for family essentials such as food and fuel), for short‑term support with housing costs, and to improve financial wellbeing. The funding will also help strengthen existing voluntary and community support networks.
Cllr Heather Shearer, Lead Member for Children, Families and Education, said:
It’s reassuring to know support for residents who need it most is guaranteed to continue in Somerset until 2029.
This 3‑year funding gives us the stability to plan, reach our families earlier, and provide support that will make a real, lasting difference.
Cllr Shearer added:
To reach the widest range of vulnerable households, many delivery routes will be needed.
We will work with schools, our community champion networks, family hubs, Somerset VCFSE organisations, and local partners – all of which are well placed to identify need early, and offer accessible support.
We aim to ensure every resident has access to the right support at the right time.
Information about all these new initiatives will be published on the Somerset Council’s Cost of Living webpages as the programmes begin in April 2026.
Whilst these new and complex arrangements are being put in place, details of a number of other existing sources of help are available, if parents are concerned about the change, especially during the Easter holidays.
The Happy Healthy Holidays (HHH) programme is available to children eligible for free school meals to access holiday clubs and camps along with a meal during the school holidays.
There’s also the Council’s #Help4All scheme, Community Hubs, the Healthy Start – NHS – healthy food and milk and The Local Pantry Network in Somerset
Outside of the recent decision at Executive, and the CRF funding, Somerset Council is working with Citizens Advice (CA) Somerset to deliver an Easter food voucher scheme for eligible families. A dedicated phoneline for anyone concerned about how they’ll manage over the Easter holidays, will be put in place by CA imminently.
The Council’s Customer Services team are available to contact Monday to Friday 8.30am to 5pm. The number is 0300 123 2224.
For more information, see the Executive Committee’s decision report, Crisis and Resilience Fund 2026/27 to 2028/29.
