Hardship Fund
Financial assistance during urgent hardship
Overview
The Hardship Fund provides targeted financial support for individuals and families facing urgent or exceptional difficulty.
It is designed to help people manage essential needs when they have limited income, cannot access other support or are experiencing a sudden crisis.
Who Can Access
- •Experiencing serious financial hardship
- •Unable to meet an essential or urgent need
- •Facing an unexpected crisis or change in circumstances
- •Waiting for benefits, wages or another source of support
- •Unable to access suitable assistance elsewhere
What We Provide
- •Essential household needs
- •Emergency food or utility costs
- •Urgent items for children or families
- •Essential travel or practical costs
- •Other immediate needs identified during assessment
Across our wider hardship response, £265,190 in financial support has been provided during 2026.
The fund helps reduce immediate financial pressure so that people can begin moving towards greater stability.
What Happens Next?
- Submit a request and briefly explain the hardship you are facing.
- Our team will assess your circumstances and may request supporting information.
- We will explain the decision, any assistance available and other support that may help.
Service Boundaries & Guidelines
The Hardship Fund is limited and subject to available funding. An application does not guarantee an award. The fund is not intended to provide ongoing income, clear substantial debts or replace benefits and statutory services. We may refer applicants to specialist financial, housing or welfare organisations where appropriate.
Apply for hardship support
Contact us if you are facing an urgent essential cost that you cannot currently meet.