New hardship fund to help Staffordshire families with food and fuel bills

Families in Staffordshire facing financial hardship will be able to receive short term help with food and energy bills through a new Crisis and Resilience Fund.

Staffordshire County Council has been allocated £8.46m for the 2026 to 2027 financial year as part of the national scheme, which can support eligible households with urgent costs.

The fund can provide help towards energy, heating oil, food, essential household items, white goods, emergency childcare, transport, uniforms and clothing.

The authority has previously administered the national Household Support Fund, which ended on 31 March 2026. The new Crisis and Resilience Fund is intended to provide crisis payments alongside earlier advice and support aimed at helping households become more financially resilient.

Cabinet members were asked to accept the grant allocation at their meeting on Wednesday 17 June.

Families can be referred for crisis payments through approved referrers or through the one to one financial wellbeing coaching service.

Councillor Nicholas Lakin, cabinet member for children and young people, said

“This very much focuses on supporting paying for urgent essentials, such as food and fuel bills whilst people get back on their feet, rather than ongoing financial help.

“With fuel prices soaring in recent weeks, the Oil Crisis element is available to those generally on low incomes who are struggling to heat their own homes.”

The council said the Crisis and Resilience Fund is not a continuation of the Household Support Fund, but part of a national move towards a more preventative model, with a greater focus on financial resilience, early intervention and local advice and support.

Groups listed as eligible for the fund include care leavers from Staffordshire, vulnerable adults and people caring for someone vulnerable, including children or young people.

The scheme is countywide, so eligible households in Stone and across Staffordshire can seek support through Staffordshire County Council’s Crisis and Resilience Fund pages.