Wiltshire Council Tax Hardship Fund and Crisis Payment

Two Separate Safety Nets

Wiltshire has two distinct forms of emergency financial help, and they serve different purposes. Confusing them wastes time when you're already under pressure.

Discretionary Council Tax Reduction (Section 13A(1)(c)) — an additional reduction applied directly to your council tax account when the standard CTR scheme doesn't cover enough.

The Crisis and Resilience Fund (CRF) — emergency cash-equivalent awards for immediate essential costs like food, energy, and heating fuel. This replaced the Household Support Fund from 1 April 2026.

Section 13A(1)(c) Hardship Relief

Under Section 13A(1)(c) of the Local Government Finance Act 1992, Wiltshire Council can grant extra council tax relief beyond what the standard CTR scheme provides. This is fully discretionary — there's no automatic entitlement, and the council decides each case on its merits.

To apply, you need to show that:

1. You've exhausted all other statutory relief — you've claimed CTR, the Single Person Discount, or any other discount you're entitled to
2. Despite those reductions, you're in exceptional financial hardship
3. You can provide a detailed household budget showing that paying the remaining council tax would cause severe hardship

Submit a written application to the Wiltshire Council Benefits Team at County Hall, Trowbridge BA14 8JN. Include your council tax account number, a breakdown of your household income and outgoings, and an explanation of what's changed since your CTR was assessed.

The Crisis and Resilience Fund

The CRF allocates £5,195,152 for 2026/27 as part of a £13.4 million government-backed programme running through 31 March 2029. It delivers two types of award:

Crisis Payments — for immediate essential costs: food, energy bills, LPG, heating oil. These are short-term emergency awards, not ongoing support.

Housing Payments — for housing-related hardship.

Important limits: you can receive a maximum of two Crisis Payment awards per household per financial year. So if you've already had two, you'll need to wait until the next April.

How to Apply for the CRF

Contact the Wiltshire Wellbeing Hub on 0300 003 4576 or email [email protected] for hardship assistance and signposting. Ask them how to make a CRF application.

The fund includes £783,725 specifically for rural households relying on off-grid heating oil — so if you're in a village without mains gas and struggling with heating costs, mention this when you apply.

If Your Application Is Rejected

Crisis and Resilience Fund rejections can be formally challenged in writing within 5 working days of the decision. That's a tight window — mark it on your calendar the day you get the response.

For a Section 13A decision, ask the council to confirm its review route. The reconsideration and Valuation Tribunal deadlines above apply to Council Tax Reduction decisions.

Which One Should You Apply For

If your council tax bill is the specific problem — you've got CTR but still can't afford the 20% minimum payment — start with Section 13A(1)(c).

If you're in immediate crisis and need help with food, energy, or essential living costs, ask the Wellbeing Hub how to access the CRF. The two schemes address different needs, so ask about each application separately.

Our Wiltshire Council Tax Reduction guide covers both routes in detail, including how the hardship fund interacts with your existing CTR award and what to include in the written application.

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