Today (Thursday, 25 June) at a meeting of the council’s Communities, Social Mobility and Inclusion Committee, councillors unanimously agreed a suite of new anti-poverty initiatives, underpinned by a prevention-first approach.
In May 2025, Cambridgeshire’s independent Poverty Strategy Commission produced “A call for a strategic approach to end poverty across Cambridgeshire”, then, in June 2025, the government announced the launch of the new multi-year Crisis and Resilience Fund (CRF), replacing the previous Household Support Fund (HSF), with Cambridgeshire County Council receiving £5.3m in 2026-27 and 2027-28.
All of the Crisis and Resilience Fund proposals have been developed with our key partners, including district and city councils, and in line with the national Department for Work and Pensions guidance and the recommendations from the local Poverty Strategy Commission. Councillors at today’s meeting heard that the CRF funding received by the County Council is required to be allocated across:
- Crisis payments – providing support to those experiencing financial shock
- Resilience services – support that improves residents’ financial resilience
- Community coordination – activities that connect and enhance local support, such as community food projects.
The committee approved a prevention-first approach for the new anti-poverty initiatives – directing resources towards interventions that increase household incomes and reduce the frequency of crises, while also strengthening the safety-net for residents who do experience a financial shock.
On that basis, councillors also agreed:
- To procure a new crisis payment scheme;
- to award £800,000 to Citizens Advice to continue to deliver an Income Maximisation service across Cambridgeshire until 2029;
- to award £1.5M, over 3 years, to fund an advice outreach service for residents who are isolated rurally or digitally, or otherwise unable to access mainstream support.
The new crisis payment scheme will respond flexibly to residents in financial crisis that could prevent them from being able to manage essential costs. Once immediate needs are addressed, residents will then be linked into wraparound resilience support, aiming to reduce the likelihood of future financial shocks.
Councillors approved a budget for the crisis payment scheme of £1M per year in 2027-28 and 2028-29, and £400k for the current financial year, with scope to increase if needed.
The income maximisation service that will be delivered by Citizens Advice is a continuation of an existing service which led to 3,182 residents supported in 2025-26, gaining a combined £3.7M in additional income.
Councillors also approved an increased investment in outreach capacity – to ensure people experiencing rural isolation or digital poverty can access support more locally to them, in trusted community spaces.
Further income maximisation work will be provided through LIFT (the Low-Income Family Tracker), procured following committee approval in February earlier this year, which will also be funded through the CRF.
LIFT will enable Cambridgeshire’s five district and city councils to identify residents who may be missing out on support they are eligible for, such as Pension Credit, Healthy Start vouchers, Free School Meals or heating-oil support, and encourage them to apply.
Previously, a significant proportion of Cambridgeshire’s allocation from the government’s former HSF was used to fund Free School Meal (FSM) Holiday Food Vouchers. CRF guidance is explicit that crisis support must now be needs-based, not a routine income supplement. Accordingly, Cambridgeshire is implementing a managed transition away from FSM holiday vouchers.
Councillors heard how those families that have been in receipt of FSM holiday vouchers will be prioritised for support within the new anti-poverty initiatives, including Income Maximisation, which on average, has been found to increase household income by a recurrent £1,163 a year. They will be the priority cohort to be identified by LIFT and receive a targeted offer of personalised support. Families will also be encouraged to access the Holiday Activities and Food (HAF) programme, an initiative that provides free, healthy meals and enriching activities to children during school holidays.
Families eligible for but not currently registered for Free School Meals will also be prioritised, as will low-income families with younger children not registered for Healthy Start vouchers.
Councillor Alison Whelan, chair of the Communities, Social Mobility and Inclusion Committee at Cambridgeshire County Council, said: “I’m delighted that the decisions we have taken here today will make a huge difference to low-income individuals and families across Cambridgeshire.
“We’re targeting support where it’s needed most, taking an approach which will both alleviate and prevent hardship – building financial security, resilience and independence and ensuring we give the children and young people in our county the best start in life that we can.”
The new Crisis Payment scheme is expected to launch for Cambridgeshire residents in October 2026. Information about the support that’s available in the interim period can be found on our website.
The reports discussed by the committee can be found on our website and a recording of the meeting is available to watch on our YouTube channel.
