Crisis and Resilience Fund

Crisis Payment Scheme 

The Crisis Payment Scheme, launching on Wednesday 1 April 2026 is funded by the UK Government and is designed to provide support to individuals and households facing an unexpected crisis, financial shock or emergency. The scheme aims to help people manage short term hardship and provide support with resilience during difficult circumstances.

Who can the scheme support?

The scheme offers support to Salford residents who:

• Experience a sudden financial crisis, financial shock or emergency situation
• Are at risk due to circumstances such as loss of income, domestic emergencies, homelessness, or other urgent situations

Support may include:

• Emergency help with essential items such as food, fuel, clothing, or basic household goods
• Short term financial assistance to prevent further hardship
• Access resilience services and wider support where appropriate

How to apply

You can complete an application form online or contact the Salford Assist Team on (0800 011 3998) 10am to 12pm and 2pm to 4pm, Monday to Friday. If you are unable to complete an online application form or call the team you can visit one of our Gateways in Salford or Broughton Hub where staff will be available to offer support. 

Apply now 

Eligibility and application information 

To apply for the scheme, you will need to:

• Be a Salford resident and have a six month local connection with Salford 
• Show you don't have access to sufficient income or savings 
• Be prepared to evidence that you are facing a financial crisis/emergency situation
• Be prepared to accept support from other agencies and council services where appropriate
• You do not need to be in receipt of benefits to apply for help
• If successful, benefits will not be affected

Please include the following when submitting an application form:

• Bank statements for all accounts held for all 18+ in the household showing four weeks of transactions up to the date of application
• Full Universal Credit statement (if applicable)
• Full copy of last wage slip (if applicable)
• If requesting crisis assistance with energy, photos of gas and electricity meters where you have Paypoint meters or a copy of your latest bill. Photos of meters must have ID also visible for verification purposes 
• Photo ID (driving licence, passport or birth certificate) to confirm name and address or two original proof of address (council tax/utility bill)
• For emergency support for furniture a full copy of your Tenancy Agreement 

Any awards made under the Crisis Payment Scheme are discretionary. This means the Council has no statutory duty to make an award, and each application will be assessed on its individual merits. Decisions will take into account the circumstances presented and the nature of the crisis.
In addition to considering a financial award, the Scheme will provide advice, guidance, and where appropriate make referrals on your behalf to other support services or agencies. This is to ensure you receive the most suitable help for your situation and have access to wider wraparound support that you may benefit from.

To find out more about Government support with the cost of living visit the Government’s Cost of Living Hub.

Find out more about cost of living support in Salford by visiting Salford’s Cost of Living support pages.