If you are looking for Crisis and Resilience Fund white goods help in England, support may be available through your local council if you are struggling to afford essential household items such as a washing machine, fridge, freezer, cooker or oven.
The Crisis and Resilience Fund replaced the Household Support Fund in England from April 2026 and is designed to help low-income households facing financial hardship, sudden money problems or emergency living costs.
However, there is no single national application form for white goods. The fund is delivered by local authorities, which means your council decides who can apply, what evidence is needed, what items may be covered, and whether support is offered as a voucher, payment, referral, appliance replacement or another form of help.
Can the Crisis and Resilience Fund Help With White Goods?
The Crisis and Resilience Fund may help eligible households in England with essential costs, including emergency household support, but the exact white goods help available depends on your local council. Each council sets its own application process, eligibility rules and support options.
White goods support may include help with essential appliances such as washing machines, refrigerators, freezers, fridge freezers, cookers or ovens where the household cannot afford to replace them and the need is urgent.
Key Takeaways
- The Crisis and Resilience Fund applies to England.
- It replaced the Household Support Fund from April 2026.
- The fund runs from 1 April 2026 to 31 March 2029.
- It is managed by local councils, not through one national application form.
- White goods support may be available if your council includes essential appliances in its scheme.
- You do not always need to be on benefits to apply.
- If you receive benefits, a Crisis and Resilience Fund payment should not affect them.
- Approval is not guaranteed because each council has its own rules and limited funding.
What Is the Crisis and Resilience Fund?
The Crisis and Resilience Fund is a UK Government-funded support scheme for England. It helps local authorities provide emergency and longer-term support to residents who are struggling with essential costs.
The fund covers the period from 1 April 2026 to 31 March 2029 and gives councils funding to design local schemes for people facing financial crisis or hardship.
It is intended to help with immediate crisis needs, but also to support longer-term financial resilience. This means councils may provide urgent help with essential items while also linking people to debt advice, benefit checks, budgeting support or local welfare services.
Support may vary by council, but it can include help with:
- food
- energy and water bills
- essential items
- housing costs
- emergency household needs
- crisis payments
- advice and support services
For households without working essential appliances, the fund may be an important route to request help with white goods.
Can the Crisis and Resilience Fund Help With White Goods?
Yes, the Crisis and Resilience Fund can potentially help with white goods in England, but only where your local council’s scheme includes this type of support.
The GOV.UK guidance for local authorities lists essential furniture and appliances as one type of crisis support. It gives examples such as washing machines, refrigerators and freezers, and cookers or ovens.
This means councils may use the fund to support essential appliances, but the final decision depends on local rules, funding availability and your personal circumstances.
White goods that may be considered include:
| White Good | May Be Covered? | Why It May Be Treated as Essential |
| Washing machine | Yes, depending on council | Needed for hygiene, children’s clothing and daily living |
| Fridge | Yes, depending on council | Needed for safe food storage |
| Freezer | Yes, depending on council | Helps store food safely and reduce food waste |
| Fridge freezer | Yes, depending on council | Often treated as a core household appliance |
| Cooker or oven | Yes, depending on council | Needed for safe meal preparation |
| Tumble dryer | Less common | Usually only considered in exceptional cases |
Councils usually prioritise appliances that are essential for health, safety, hygiene, food storage or basic living needs.
Who Can Apply for Crisis and Resilience Fund Support?
The Crisis and Resilience Fund is aimed at households in England that are vulnerable or cannot afford essential costs.
You may be able to apply if you:
- live in England
- are on a low income
- cannot afford essential household items
- are facing a sudden financial shock
- have no other realistic way to replace an essential appliance
- are dealing with emergency hardship
- have children, disabled people, older people or vulnerable adults in the household
- are moving into accommodation and need essential household items
- are at risk of going without food, energy, hygiene or safe cooking facilities
Councils may also consider applications from people affected by:
- homelessness or temporary accommodation
- domestic abuse
- illness or disability
- caring responsibilities
- job loss or reduced income
- benefit delays
- unexpected household emergencies
- fire, flood or other urgent events
Because the fund is locally managed, one council may offer direct white goods help while another may provide referrals, vouchers or alternative support.
Do You Need to Be on Benefits?
You do not always need to be on benefits to get help from the Crisis and Resilience Fund.
GOV.UK says the support is aimed at anyone who is vulnerable or cannot pay for essentials, and people do not have to be getting benefits to receive help from their local council.
However, being on benefits may help prove financial hardship. Councils may ask whether you receive:
- Universal Credit
- Pension Credit
- Income Support
- Employment and Support Allowance
- Jobseeker’s Allowance
- Housing Benefit
- Child Benefit
- tax credits
- disability benefits
If you receive benefits, GOV.UK says a payment from the Crisis and Resilience Fund will not affect your benefits.
How to Apply Through Your Local Council?
To apply for Crisis and Resilience Fund white goods help, you need to go through your local council.
There is no single national application form. Each council runs its own process.
Step 1: Find Your Local Council
Use the official GOV.UK local council finder to check which council covers your address.
Once you find your council website, search for terms such as:
- Crisis and Resilience Fund
- crisis support
- welfare assistance
- local welfare provision
- essential household items
- white goods support
- emergency help
- cost of living support
Some councils may still use older terms such as “local welfare assistance” or “crisis payments,” even though the national funding route has changed.
Step 2: Check Whether White Goods Are Included
Read the council’s eligibility page carefully. Look for whether the scheme covers:
- washing machines
- fridges
- freezers
- cookers
- ovens
- beds
- essential furniture
- emergency household goods
If white goods are not mentioned, you may still be able to ask whether support is available in exceptional circumstances.
Step 3: Check the Eligibility Rules
Your council may check:
- where you live
- your income
- your savings
- benefits received
- household size
- whether children live with you
- disability or health needs
- whether the appliance is essential
- whether the need is urgent
- whether you have received previous support
Some councils may limit how often a household can apply. Others may only help if the household has no other source of support.
Step 4: Complete the Application
Depending on the council, you may be able to apply:
- online
- by phone
- through a local advice service
- through Citizens Advice
- through a housing officer
- through a social worker
- through a support worker
- through a local voluntary organisation
If you cannot complete the form yourself, ask your council whether a support organisation can help you apply.
Step 5: Explain Why the Appliance Is Essential
When applying for white goods help, clearly explain:
- what appliance has broken or is missing;
- how long you have been without it;
- why you cannot afford to replace it;
- who is affected in the household;
- whether children, disabled people, older people or vulnerable adults are affected;
- whether the issue affects food storage, cooking, hygiene or health;
- whether you have tried other support routes.
A clear explanation can help the council understand the urgency of your situation.
What Evidence May Be Needed?
Councils usually ask for evidence before approving Crisis and Resilience Fund support. Requirements vary, but you may need to provide documents showing your identity, address, income and hardship.
Common evidence may include:
| Evidence | Why It May Be Needed |
| Proof of identity | To confirm who is applying |
| Proof of address | To confirm you live in the council area |
| Recent bank statements | To assess financial hardship |
| Benefit award letter or Universal Credit statement | To confirm income and benefit status |
| Wage slips | To check earnings |
| Tenancy agreement | To confirm housing circumstances |
| Utility bills | To show essential household costs |
| Medical or disability evidence | To explain vulnerability |
| Support worker letter | To support your application |
| Photos or explanation of broken appliance | To show why replacement is needed |
Submitting complete evidence from the start can reduce delays.
What Happens After You Apply?
After you submit your application, the council will usually assess your financial circumstances and level of need.
The council may:
- approve your application;
- ask for more evidence;
- offer a smaller form of support;
- refer you to another organisation;
- suggest a charity or reuse scheme;
- reject the application if you do not meet the rules.
If approved, support may be provided as:
- a direct appliance replacement;
- a voucher;
- a payment;
- a referral to a local supplier;
- a refurbished appliance;
- delivery and installation;
- emergency household goods.
Not every council provides cash payments. Some may arrange the item directly to make sure the support is used for the essential appliance.
What If Your Council Does Not Offer White Goods Help?
If your council does not provide Crisis and Resilience Fund white goods help, you still have other options.
You can check:
- Turn2us charity grants
- British Gas Energy Trust White Goods Fund
- LEAP Appliance Scheme
- Family Fund kitchen appliance grants if you are raising a disabled or seriously ill child
- local community furniture projects
- Reuse Network centres
- Freecycle or Freegle
- local churches and charities
- Citizens Advice referrals
- Universal Credit Budgeting Advance
- DWP Budgeting Loan if you are on qualifying legacy benefits or Pension Credit
You can also read our full guide on how to apply for a white goods grant in the UK for more routes beyond the Crisis and Resilience Fund.
Crisis and Resilience Fund vs Household Support Fund
The Crisis and Resilience Fund replaced the Household Support Fund in England from April 2026.
The Household Support Fund was used by councils to help residents with food, energy, essential costs and household items. It ended on 31 March 2026.
The Crisis and Resilience Fund began on 1 April 2026 and is intended to run until 31 March 2029. The newer fund still supports people facing hardship, but it also places more emphasis on helping households become more financially resilient over time.
| Feature | Household Support Fund | Crisis and Resilience Fund |
| Applies in England | Yes | Yes |
| Current scheme? | No, ended 31 March 2026 | Yes, from 1 April 2026 |
| Delivered by councils | Yes | Yes |
| Can help with essentials | Yes | Yes |
| May include white goods | Depending on council | Depending on council |
| Long-term resilience focus | Limited | Stronger focus |
| Application route | Local council | Local council |
If you find an older council page mentioning the Household Support Fund, check whether the council has now updated its support under the Crisis and Resilience Fund.
Tips to Improve Your Application
To improve your chance of getting support:
- apply through the correct council
- check the current local eligibility rules
- explain why the appliance is essential
- include all requested evidence
- mention children, disability, illness or caring responsibilities if relevant
- be clear if you cannot cook, store food or wash clothes safely
- ask Citizens Advice or a support worker to help if the form is difficult
- apply early because local funding may be limited
Avoid exaggerating your circumstances. For YMYL support applications, accurate evidence is more useful than emotional wording alone.
Important Safety Note
The Crisis and Resilience Fund is official local authority support in England. You should not pay an upfront fee to apply.
Be careful with websites or social media posts claiming to guarantee free white goods. No genuine hardship scheme can guarantee approval without checking your eligibility.
Use official council websites, GOV.UK, Citizens Advice and recognised charities when applying for financial support.
Conclusion
The Crisis and Resilience Fund may help households in England with essential white goods such as washing machines, fridges, freezers, cookers and ovens, but support depends entirely on your local council’s rules.
Because each council designs its own scheme, the best first step is to find your local authority, check its Crisis and Resilience Fund page, and read the eligibility rules carefully.
If your council does not offer white goods support, you may still be able to get help through charity grants, energy trust schemes, reuse centres, Family Fund, Turn2us, or repayable DWP support such as Budgeting Loans and Budgeting Advances.
Sources:
- GOV.UK – Crisis and Resilience Fund guidance
- GOV.UK – Get help with the cost of living from your local council
- GOV.UK – Find your local council
- GOV.UK – Budgeting Loans for household items
- GOV.UK – Universal Credit Budgeting Advance
FAQs
Can I get a washing machine through the Crisis and Resilience Fund?
Possibly. GOV.UK guidance lists washing machines as an example of essential appliances that Crisis Payments can support, but your local council decides whether washing machine help is available in your area.
Can I get a fridge freezer through the Crisis and Resilience Fund?
Possibly. Essential refrigeration, including refrigerators and freezers, may be considered where your council’s scheme covers white goods and you meet the eligibility rules.
Is the Crisis and Resilience Fund available across the UK?
No. The Crisis and Resilience Fund applies to England. Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland have separate welfare support schemes.
Do I need to be on Universal Credit to apply?
No. You do not always need to be on Universal Credit or other benefits. The fund is aimed at people who are vulnerable or cannot afford essentials, but each council sets its own rules.
Will Crisis and Resilience Fund support affect my benefits?
GOV.UK says getting a payment from the Crisis and Resilience Fund will not affect your benefits.
How do I apply for Crisis and Resilience Fund white goods help?
You apply through your local council. Use the GOV.UK local council finder, then search your council website for Crisis and Resilience Fund, crisis support, local welfare assistance or white goods help.
What if my application is refused?
If your application is refused, ask whether the council has a review process. You can also check charity grants, energy trust schemes, reuse centres, Citizens Advice referrals and the wider guide on how to apply for a white goods grant in the UK.
Is the Crisis and Resilience Fund a loan?
The fund can provide different types of support depending on the council. Some help may be provided as a grant, voucher or direct support. Always check your council’s terms before accepting support.