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Crisis Payment Scheme

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This scheme is due to launch on the 28 May 2026 - once it launches we will add an apply button to this page.

This scheme is intended to provide one-off assistance to people facing a sudden and unexpected financial crisis. It is not intended to support people with day-day living costs, or provide long term support.

Eligibility

The applicant:

  • must be resident in Peterborough
  • must be 16 year old, or over
  • is currently experiencing a financial crisis (see Types of financial crisis)
  • must have savings of less than £1000 (£5000 if pensionable age)
  • does not need to be in receipt of welfare benefits to apply.

Types of financial crisis considered

This is not an exhaustive list but used to give a guide to the types of financial crisis that the council will consider. The council will use its discretion in assessing individual needs on a case by case basis.

  • Fuel poverty – having been cut off from fuel supply, or unable to afford immediate fuel costs.
  • Inability to pay for heating, electricity, water or broadband services.
  • Unexpected essential household expenses – e.g. boiler; car repair; household appliance (cooker, washing machine, fridge).
  • Costs of setting up a new home due to domestic abuse, fleeing violence or other household breakdown.
  • Moving costs due to unsafe or unsuitable housing.
  • Caring costs, particularly for supporting friends/family with disability or long term illness.
  • Inability to pay for school uniform.
  • Anyone affected by a disaster e.g. fire or flooding.
  • Where money has been lost or stolen and living expenses are required.
  • Short-term gap in regular income due to redundancy or a significant change in working pattern.

Application assessment

  • Applications will be assessed on a household basis, with awards determined by the nature of the crisis and the impact on the household.
  • Normally, one application will be allowed per household within a rolling 12-month period.
  • Additional payments within the 12-month period may be considered where there are exceptional circumstances, distinct crises, or safeguarding considerations.

The scheme offers a cash-first approach

Payments will be awarded on an individual basis and subject to:

  • the specific financial crisis in your application, and
  • the impact that the crisis is having within a household.

Payments will typically range from £50-£150, but there may be cases where a lower or higher award is warranted. The council may also offer vouchers, or goods at its discretion and a cash payment is not guaranteed.

What you will need for your application

To help us assess your application you will need to provide evidence of your income, savings and crisis or hardship details. Documents can be uploaded in PDF or image formats. Evidence is also required for others in the same household, including joint bank accounts. 

Make an application

Applications will be available from 28th May.

(We will add a button here when the application platform is live)
Evoucher will be reviewing and processing applications and payments on behalf of the council.

What happens next?

We will use the following criteria to assess your application.

  • Priority will be given to first time applicants and those not eligible for other types of help
  • Clear detailed evidence of a crisis or hardship
  • Whether your situation is likely to get worst without support
  • Additional identified needs, for example, vulnerability disability, health issue, carer, children
  • It will not be awarded for ongoing housing costs or unsustainable tenancies
  • It will not be awarded to provide mortgage support

For successful applications we aim to approve applications and make payments within 48 hours of all evidence being received. 

Further help and support

Take a look at our wider help with Money and Benefits section.
Get in touch with one of our Crisis Resilience Fund - CRF Community Partners.

  • The Council will only operate the scheme whilst there are funds to do so.
  • The scheme is discretionary, and there is no statutory right to payment or award
  • This scheme is not intended to replicate or take over the responsibility of statutory agencies.
  • The scheme is a crisis service and is not intended as regular support for those on low income who need help with day-to-day living.
  • Awards will normally only be made to those who meet eligibility criteria in accordance with this policy. However, even if this is the case the Council has the overriding discretion to refuse an award, and this will be linked to budget restrictions and any other conditionality in this policy.
  • Eligibility criteria will be used to ensure that the funds are targeted at the most vulnerable residents and those with greatest need. Decisions on eligibility and exclusion will be reasonable and rational and subject to a certain degree of flexibility and discretion in order to meet exceptional cases and circumstances as and when necessary.
  • Applicants who do not meet eligibility criteria will be signposted to the wider offer of universal services and support available from the third/community and voluntary sector.
  • Each application will be treated on its own merits and will receive equal and fair treatment to take account of the Council’s responsibilities under all relevant legislation.
  • Each applicant will normally be restricted to a single award within a rolling 12-month period, commencing from the date their last application was approved. 

The Council is committed to preventing fraud in all its forms. A claimant who tries to make a claim to the Crisis Resilience Fund fraudulently by falsely declaring their circumstances, providing a false statement or evidence in support of their application, may have committed an offence under the Fraud Act 2006.

Where it is alleged, or the Council suspects that such a fraud may have been committed, the matter will be investigated and if fraud is found to have occurred, action will be taken including sanctions against future claims or if appropriate criminal proceedings. 

The Crisis and Resilience Fund (CRF) and Crisis Payments will indirectly replace the Household Support Fund (HSF) which was launched in 2001 to support households on low income by providing emergency food, furniture, white goods, and vouchers to eligible pupils during school holidays.

The new fund will see £3.6m a year coming to Peterborough over the next three years to support residents in dealing with both short-term crisis and longer-term financial challenges, supporting them to become financially stable. The main aim of the fund is to provide a safety net for those on low incomes who encounter a financial shock, such as sudden income loss or unexpected expenses, and to invest in building stronger support in communities to enable people to better deal with crises in the long-term, thereby reducing crisis need.

The Crisis Resilience Fund (CRF) is a grant provided to local authorities across England to help support low-income households. The fund runs from 1 April 2026 to 31 March 2029.

The aims of the fund are to:

  1. Provide effective crisis support
  2. Improve individuals’ financial resilience
  3. Bolster the local-level support landscape

You can find more information about CRF at Crisis and Resilience Fund (1 April 2026 to 31 March 2029) - GOV.UK.

At Peterborough City Council, we have committed to using this fund to support households and individuals who are facing financial hardship. It will also help to build financial resilience amongst households and individuals.

Peterborough City Council’s Crisis Payment Scheme, operating under the Crisis Resilience Fund, is designed to provide immediate financial assistance to individuals and families facing acute hardship or unforeseen emergencies. The scheme offers one-off payments to help cover essential living costs during periods of crisis, such as sudden loss of income, unexpected expenses, or situations that put individuals at risk of homelessness. We work with Evouchers, Citizens Advice and Carezone to offer financial support, expert advice and practical support to those in crisis. Eligibility for the scheme is based on an assessment of need, and the support aims to ensure that vulnerable people can maintain stability and avoid further hardship while they seek more sustainable solutions.

The information we collect

We collect and process the following types of personal and special category data:

  • Name
  • DOB
  • Relationship Status
  • Address
  • Council Tax Reference Number
  • Household make up
  • Details of Crisis
  • Benefit situation
  • Uk/Non-UK National
  • Student/Non Student
  • Health and Employment Details
  • Disability information
  • Ethnicity
  • Gender
  • Sexual Orientation
  • Sight Loss
  • Caring Responsibilities
  • Sick Pay Information
  • Property Details
  • Bills and Debt Information
  • Income, Investments and Savings Information
  • Bank Statements
  • Tenancy Agreement
  • ID documents
  • National Insurance numbers

Why We Collect Your Data

We collect your personal data to carry out an assessment of your financial situation before offering support through the Crisis Resilience Fund. This assessment helps us understand your individual circumstances and tailor the services we provide to best support you.

Specifically, we use your information to:

  • Assess your crisis and determine whether you are eligible for a crisis payment
  • Refer you to specialist financial support with Citizens Advice if required.
  • Determine whether you might be eligible for any additional benefits and signpost you accordingly.
  • Refer you to furniture support with Carezone if required.

Lawful basis for processing

Under data protection legislation, the council has to identify what is called a lawful basis for using personal data. The processing of this Personal Data is necessary for the Council to undertake a public task as defined under Article 6 (1)(e) of the GDPR, i.e. the processing is necessary for the Council to perform a task in the public interest or for its official functions, and the task or function has a clear basis in law. The public task in this case is the distribution of the Crisis and Resilience Fund as required by Central Government to eligible individuals and families.

Who we share your data with

Your data may be shared with CRF Community Partners who are involved in delivering support services. All partners operate under either a contract or grant agreement and are required to handle your data securely and lawfully. You will be given the option to consent to your information being shared with Citizens Advice for further financial support. Carezone acts as a supplier and will only process your data as required to fulfil their service obligations.

Some of the agencies we receive and share information with will include:

  • Citizens Advice
  • Policy in Practice
  • Evouchers
  • Carezone

How Long We Keep Your Data

We will keep your personal data for a period of six years, in line with the Council’s data retention policies and statutory requirements. This retention period covers the purposes of administering the Crisis Payment Scheme, including assessing eligibility, making and administering payments, responding to enquiries, complaints or appeals, preventing fraud and misuse of public funds, and meeting audit and reporting requirements.

Once your information is no longer required for these purposes, and the six-year period has elapsed, it will be securely deleted or anonymised in accordance with the Council’s data retention policies and data protection legislation.

Your Rights

You have rights under Data Protection and these are as detailed in the corporate notice and can be accessed on our Data Protection Rights Information page.

Last updated: 22 May 2026
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