Salford Crisis and Resilience Fund — Emergency Help with Council Tax

What the Crisis and Resilience Fund Covers

When a sudden change — job loss, relationship breakdown, illness, bereavement — leaves you unable to cover basic costs, Salford's Crisis and Resilience Fund provides short-term emergency support. Since April 2026, Salford's emergency support structure has included Crisis and Resilience Housing Payments alongside the legacy Discretionary Housing Payment support for housing and municipal liabilities.

The fund doesn't replace Council Tax Reduction. It's a safety net for situations where CTR either hasn't kicked in yet or doesn't cover enough to prevent a crisis.

Salford Assist — Immediate Relief

Salford Assist is the council's emergency support service for residents facing immediate hardship. It provides:

• Emergency food vouchers
• Utility top-ups (gas and electric prepayment meters)
• Connection to local support networks and foodbanks
• Referrals to specialist debt and benefit advice

To qualify, you generally need to have lived in Salford for at least six months. Applications go through the council's online system or via referral from a support worker.

Salford Assist operates separately from Council Tax Reduction — you can apply for both at the same time if you need to.

Section 13A Discretionary Council Tax Support

If you've already applied for CTR but the award leaves a gap you genuinely cannot cover, Section 13A(1)(c) of the Local Government Finance Act 1992 gives Salford City Council the power to grant additional discretionary relief.

These awards are considered case-by-case. To be considered, you typically need to show:

1. Severe financial hardship caused by unexpected circumstances — not a long-term shortfall, but an acute event
2. A full income and expenditure breakdown — the council needs to see that you've accounted for all outgoings and that the shortfall is real
3. Bank statements covering four to six weeks
4. Engagement with debt advice — evidence that you've spoken to StepChange, National Debtline, or Citizens Advice about your wider financial situation

Applications are submitted online through Salford's Discretionary Council Tax Support page. The awards are temporary and subject to available funding — they're not an ongoing entitlement, but they can bridge a crisis while your circumstances stabilise.

The Difference Between These Three

It's easy to confuse CTR, Section 13A discretionary relief, and Salford Assist, because they all reduce what you owe or help with costs. Here's how they relate:

• Council Tax Reduction — an ongoing, rules-based reduction of your council tax bill (up to 88% for working-age, up to 100% for pensioners). Everyone who qualifies gets it.
• Section 13A discretionary relief — a one-off or short-term extra reduction for people in severe hardship. Discretionary, not guaranteed.
• Salford Assist — emergency non-cash help (food, utilities, referrals). Not a council tax reduction, but helps free up money so you can keep up with essential bills.

If you're facing a council tax crisis, the sequence is: apply for CTR first (it's the largest ongoing saving), then apply for Section 13A discretionary support if the CTR award doesn't cover enough, and contact Salford Assist if you need immediate help with food or utilities while everything is being processed.

If you've received a summons or liability order, contact StepChange (0800 138 1111) or National Debtline (0808 808 4000) promptly for free debt advice.

For the full CTR application process, income band calculations, and the hardship fund application steps, see the Salford Council Tax Reduction guide.

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