A CRISIS fund has been set up by Somerset Council with £21.5 million to help households facing significant financial hardship, including food and fuel costs.

The crisis and resilience fund (CRF) will support low income families over the next three years.

It will enable the local authority to target assistance to those who experience a financial shock, and will be used to build long-term financial resilience for vulnerable households.

The grant programme, awarded by the Department for Work and Pensions (DWP), will start from April 1 and replaces a household support fund (HSF) which is coming to an end on March 31.

The CRF will be used for crisis payments - fast, emergency help - for family essentials such as food and fuel, for short‑term support with housing costs, and to improve financial wellbeing.

The funding will also help strengthen existing voluntary and community support networks.

Somerset executive Cllr Heather Shearer said: “It is reassuring to know support for residents who need it most is guaranteed to continue in Somerset until 2029.

“This three‑year funding gives us the stability to plan, reach our families earlier, and provide support that will make a real, lasting difference.

“To reach the widest range of vulnerable households, many delivery routes will be needed.

“We will work with schools, our community champion networks, family hubs, Somerset voluntary, community, faith, and social enterprise organisations (VCFSE), and local partners, all of which are well placed to identify need early, and offer accessible support.

“We aim to ensure every resident has access to the right support at the right time.”

Residents eligible for the help will be identified through schools, early help and family help teams, VCFSE partners, community hubs and warm spaces, and direct application routes where appropriate.

The approach has been designed to be simple, accessible, and person‑centred, with online and in‑person options.

Information about the new initiatives will be published on the council’s cost of living webpages once the programmes begins.

A council spokesperson said while the new and complex arrangements were being put in place, details of a number of other existing sources of help remained available if parents were concerned about the change, especially during the Easter holidays.

The happy healthy holidays (HHH) programme is available to children eligible for free school meals to access holiday clubs and camps along with a meal during the school holidays.

There is also the council’s #Help4All scheme, community hubs, the NHS Healthy Start for healthy food and milk, and the Local Pantry Network in Somerset.

The council is also working with Citizens Advice Somerset to deliver an Easter food voucher scheme for eligible families.

A dedicated telephone line for anybody concerned about how they will manage over the Easter holidays is being set up by Citizens Advice.

The DWP funding is broken down into £7.2 million this year, another £7.2 million next year, and £7.1 million for 2028-29, with no extra funding required from the council’s own budget.