Crisis and Resilience Fund

The CRF provides both short-term emergency help to residents facing unexpected financial hardship and support to help build resilience.

It also offers advice and support to help your household manage your money and stay financially secure in the long run.

A large amount of support is available, what help you get depends on your individual situation. Support can include:

• Everyday basics: Short-term emergency help to pay for food, energy bills, and essential household items.
• Fuel and energy crises: Help if you are on a low income and facing a fuel crisis or struggling with energy costs.
• Coldbusters: Energy advice and measures installed.
• White goods and other household items.
• Debt and budgeting advice: Access to free local advice to help you manage your bills and reduce money stress in the future.
• Rent and housing: For more information about this, please visit Housing Payments (HPs) – Thanet.

Eligibility may depend on the specific type of support you need, but generally, you must:

• Be a resident living in the Thanet district (Margate, Ramsgate, Broadstairs, and the surrounding villages).
• Be aged 16 or over.
• Be on a low income, receiving means-tested benefits, or experiencing a sudden loss of income or sudden emergency crisis.
• Be able to provide evidence of your financial hardship and current living circumstances.

Please note that funding is really limited and payments are awarded based on priority-need basis.

Services and funding are opening in stages across Kent.

You will soon be able to apply directly through Thanet District Council’s online support services. Details of this will be provided when this aspect of the scheme opens in early Autumn 2026.

The following delivery partners have a portion of the fund, so please contact them directly to see if you are eligible for their support:

• Tenant & Leaseholder Services (TLS)
• Citizens Advice Thanet (CAB)
• Orbit Group
• RISE
• Riverside
• Multi Agency Task Force (MTF)
• Age UK

We will provide more information when the full county-wide rollout by Kent County Council begins and extra ways to apply open. This is expected in late summer 2026.

When applying, you may be asked to provide proof of your situation, such as:

• Recent bank statements ( the last 3 months).
• Proof of benefit entitlement or household income.
• Proof of identity and Thanet residence (Council Tax bill, utility bill).
• Evidence of housing or energy costs (tenancy agreement, energy bill/invoice).

If you need immediate support with other general cost of living matters, please explore the following resources:

• Housing Payments (HPs) – Thanet: For any support with housing payments.
• Thanet Cost of Living Hub: Information on local food banks, community pantries, and energy-saving advice.
• Kent Advice Hub: Free, confidential debt and money management support.
• Check benefits eligibility: Ensure you are claiming all the benefit.

This scheme replaces older support funds you might know, including:

• Household Support Fund
• Discretionary Housing Payments