Crisis and Resilience Fund Housing Payment

A CRFHP is a discretionary payment that may provide additional financial assistance towards housing costs for customers who receive housing benefit or Universal Credit with housing costs.

Awards are made from a limited budget and applications are assessed individually.

There is no automatic entitlement to a payment and meeting the eligibility criteria does not guarantee an award.

What the fund can help with:

• rent deposits
• rent in advance
• rent arrears
• rent shortfalls
• removal costs where a move is necessary to secure or maintain suitable accommodation.

What the fund cannot help with:

• council tax arrears
• utility bills
• food costs
• household items and furnishings
• ineligible service charges
• other non-housing-related expenses.

Eligibility for help

You may apply for a CRFHP if you receive:

• Housing benefit or
• Universal Credit that includes a housing costs element towards your rent liability (including shared ownership properties where there is a rental liability).

We can also accept applications from customers who have made a claim for one of the above benefits and are awaiting a decision.

Please note: A CRFHP can only be awarded once entitlement to housing benefit or the Universal Credit housing costs element has been confirmed. If your claim is still being assessed, we may place your application on hold until a decision has been made.

Qualifying for a payment

A CRFHP may be awarded where you need additional help with your housing costs and:

• you have unavoidable additional expenses due to a short-term illness or a significant health condition
• you are struggling to pay your rent or have fallen into rent arrears
• your local housing allowance does not cover your full rent
• your benefits have been reduced due to the benefit cap
• your housing benefit or Universal Credit has been reduced because you are under-occupying your property
• your choice of accommodation was restricted due to an emergency, urgent housing need or special circumstances
• you could afford your rent when you moved into the property, but a change in circumstances has made it difficult to meet your housing costs
• you need help with removal costs to secure or maintain suitable accommodation.

Please note: These examples are provided as a guide only and do not cover every situation. Each application will be assessed on its individual circumstances before a decision is made.

Rent deposit and advance payment

For applications relating to a rent deposit and/or rent in advance:

• applications should be submitted before the proposed tenancy start date or move-in date
• supporting evidence relating to the proposed tenancy may be required before a decision can be made.

Please note: If you currently receive housing benefit from another local authority, or Universal Credit housing costs for a property outside Hillingdon, you will normally need to apply to that local authority for assistance with rent deposits, rent in advance or removal costs before applying to Hillingdon.

Other factors

When deciding whether to award a payment, we will also consider factors such as:

• the amount of savings or capital available to you
• whether anyone in your household or family members can reasonably provide financial assistance
• whether you have outstanding debts and how these are being managed
• whether you have taken reasonable steps to reduce your housing costs
• whether you have attempted to negotiate your rent with your landlord
• whether the accommodation is affordable, appropriate and sustainable for your circumstances and whether the payment is likely to help secure or maintain the tenancy.