Home›Household Support Fund›Councils›Wirral

Wirral: Household Support Fund & Crisis and Resilience Fund

What Wirral’s local crisis scheme covers, how to apply, and whether it was open when we checked.

Written by the benefitmoney.co.uk editorial team · Last reviewed 14 September 2026

What Wirral’s scheme covers

Covers: food energy water furniture clothing housing travel

Covers

Short-term emergency help with food and basics, gas, electricity or water, clothing and hygiene items, essential furniture, travel, and phone or internet; plus longer-term money, work and housing advice

Status

Active and accepting applications (confirmed 10 September 2026)

What you get

Usually vouchers or money payments; sometimes items supplied or suppliers paid directly

Who qualifies

Aged 16+, live in Wirral, on a low income and without enough money for essential needs; benefits not required

How to apply

Apply online using the Crisis and Resilience Fund form, or call 0151 606 2005 for help

Not covered

Cannot be used for regular bills, ongoing living costs, long-term expenses, or costs payable by another fund/grant/benefit

Government allocation

£5,758,438 for 2026-27

Before you apply

1. Who can apply. Anyone aged 16 or over who lives in Wirral, is on a low income and cannot afford essentials — receiving benefits is not required
2. Use the right route. Complete the online Crisis and Resilience Fund form, or call 0151 606 2005; a separate housing payment applies for people on Housing Benefit or Universal Credit
3. Check it is still open. Active and accepting applications We confirmed this on 10 September 2026.

Only what Wirral states on its own page. Other councils ask for more — see what they have in common.

What Wirral itself says

• What you get. “We usually give vouchers or money payments. Sometimes we may provide items or pay suppliers directly”
• Who qualifies. “You do not have to be receiving benefits to apply”
• How to apply. “Apply online using the Crisis and Resilience Fund form below”
• Not covered. “The fund cannot be used for: regular bills or ongoing living costs, long-term expenses, costs that can be paid by another fund, grant, or benefit”

Quoted from Wirral’s own page↗, checked 14 September 2026. Nothing on this page is paraphrased into a rule the council has not published. The government allocation is from Annex A of the Crisis and Resilience Fund grant determination 2026 to 2027↗.

Apply on Wirral’s website

Applications are made on the council’s own site — this page collects nothing. If the link has moved, search the council site for “crisis and resilience”, then “household support”, then “welfare assistance”.

Source: Wirral Council — Crisis and Resilience Fund. Opened 10 September 2026.

Where this money comes from

Central government funds it; the council sets the rules. A payment does not affect your benefits. How the fund works nationally.

Other help you may qualify for

• Eligibility checker — see what you could be entitled to.
• White-goods grants — a broken fridge, cooker or washing machine.
• Budgeting Advance or Budgeting Loan — interest-free from the DWP.
• How much councils pay — the cheapest borrowing, capped at 3% a month.

Not in Wirral?

See the other councils we have checked, or find yours via GOV.UK’s Get help with the cost of living from your local council↗.

Outside England the scheme has a different name: the Scottish Welfare Fund in Scotland, the Discretionary Assistance Fund in Wales, and Discretionary Support in Northern Ireland.

Recently checked elsewhere: Woking, Chesterfield, North Norfolk — see all 141.

This page is independent. It is not run by Wirral Council, the Department for Work and Pensions or GOV.UK. Council schemes change without notice; the council’s own page is always the current position.