Crisis and Resilience Fund

The fund provided by the government can help you if you face an unexpected bill, need help buying essential appliances like a washing machine, fridge/freezer or need urgent car repairs. 

It is available if you face going into an immediate financial crisis (for example, going into unmanageable debt). You will also need to meet the criteria below.

Who can qualify for this fund

We may be able to help if you think you need access to this fund and you:

• Live in Aldershot or Farnborough full-time
• Are facing financial hardship - you must be experiencing a crisis, such as inability to pay for essentials like food or fuel, energy or have a sudden loss of income
• Have an immediate need, primarily for unexpected events such as appliance failure or emergency housing needs
• Have an adult in the household that is currently entitled to a means tested, passporting benefit, including Universal Credit, Pension Credit (Guarantee Credit), or Housing Benefit or have a low household income after paying essential living costs
• Can show you are a household that does not have sufficient resources to resolve the immediate crisis without going without essentials, incurring unmanageable debt, or worsening financial harm
• Have limited access to any savings less than £6,000

Information you might be asked to provide to support your application:

• Financial information, such as bank statements from the last month, recent income details, and any savings
• Photo identification and proof of address
• Proof of crisis – for example quote for repairs of white goods, letter of redundancy, bill for car repairs, etc

How to apply

Please contact Citizens Advice Rushmoor, who administer the Crisis and Resilience Fund payments in our area.

You can call their dedicated phoneline on 0808 175 3559 or email them at crisis@citizensadvicerushmoor.org.uk.

They will look at your application on a case-by-case basis, and you cannot make repeat applications.

If your application is successful, Citizens Advice Rushmoor will work with you to provide the right level of support.  You won’t just get immediate help – they can also link you to advice, help you maximise your income, and signpost you to support to help in the longer term.

If you are eligible, payments can be made in a variety of ways including vouchers that can be exchanged for cash at the Post Office, or PayPoint vouchers that can be ‘cashed in’ at stores running a PayPoint scheme.

Help with housing costs

Depending on your circumstances, you may be entitled to a Crisis and Resilience Fund Housing Payment or Exceptional Hardship Payment.

These payments are administered by our Benefits Team, and you can find out more information, including eligibility criteria and how to apply, on our benefits pages. 

Further information

Please visit the connect4communities website for more information about the Crisis and Resilience Fund.