Crises and Resilience Fund Housing Payment (CRF) part of the fund, which replaces Discretionary Housing Payments (DHPs), will continue to be managed by district councils until 31 March 2028.
From 1 April 2026, we will assess CRF Housing Payments using the same approach currently used for Discretionary Housing Payments.
What is a CRF housing payment?
A CRF housing payment gives you short‑term help with your housing costs. It can give you breathing space while you improve your housing or personal situation. It is not meant to support you long‑term, but we may help for longer in exceptional cases.
Who can get it?
You can apply if you meet all the following criteria:
- you live in Braintree District
- you pay rent.
- you get Housing Benefit or Universal Credit with Housing element.
What the payment can cover
You can use the payment for:
- the gap between your rent and the amount you get from Housing Benefit or Universal Credit
- costs linked to securing housing or downsizing.
- rent deposits or rent in advance in exceptional cases.
What the payment cannot cover
You cannot use the payment for:
- service charges that benefits do not cover.
- rent increases caused by rent arrears.
- sanctions or benefit reductions
- shortfalls caused by recovering Housing Benefit or Universal Credit overpayments.
- times when your benefits have been suspended.
How to apply
Email benefits@braintree.gov.uk or ring Benefits Team on 01376 557852
We need you full and and address and reason you are applying and confirmation that you are in receipt Universal Credit that includes a housing element or Housing benefit.
We will then send you an application form to apply.
What we will need to know
Before we can give you a payment, we need to know what you have already done to improve your situation. For example, whether you:
- have spoken to your landlord to try to agree a change i.e. downsize or made any repayment plan.
- have registered with Gateway to Homechoice for other housing.
- have checked that you get all the benefits to which you are entitled.
- are looking for work or trying to increase your hours.
- have you taken any budgeting advice?
What happens next?
We will look at your application and the information you have given. They will check your income and spending, and they will look at the reasons you need extra support.
If you get a payment
If you receive Housing Benefit, we will pay the CRF housing payment alongside it.
If you get housing costs through Universal Credit, we will pay the CRF amount weekly.
The payment may go to you or directly to your landlord. We will tell you who will receive it when we confirm your payment.
If you do not get a payment
If you think we have not looked at your request properly, or you have new information, you can ask us to look at the decision again. You must write to us within 1 month of the date we tell you that you do not qualify.
A different officer will look at your request and send you, their decision.
Their decision is final.
More help and advice.
You can also find useful information on our cost of living pages.
