Somerset Council has formed a three-year partnership with Citizens Advice Somerset, awarding them a contract to help and support residents using the Government’s Crisis and Resilience Fund.
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 three 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.
- 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 Crisis & Resilience Fund 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 VCFSE partners such as Age UK Somerset, 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 website, search ‘cost of living support’. To apply for crisis payments only, visit Citizens Advice Somerset’s website.
For further details, including eligibility and the application form, visit Citizens Advice Somerset’s website.
During the Easter break, families can also benefit from the Happy Healthy Holidays (HHH) programme organised by Somerset Activity and Sports Partnership (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, the 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 are a low-income household and are at risk of running out visit the Citizens Advice Somerset website for full details and to apply using the application form. If your residents are unable to use the internet, they can call 0808 278 7842 and select option 3.