REVISED CREDIT UNION INCENTIVE SERVICE IN HARTLEPOOL

The Crisis Resilience Fund (CRF) is a national funding programme for local authorities in England, launched on 1 April 2026 and running to 31 March 2029. The primary objective of CRF is to firstly provide a safety net for those on low incomes who encounter a financial shock. A financial shock is a sudden, unexpected expense or drop in income that can place pressure on their budget and wellbeing Secondly, is to invest in building local financial resilience to enable individuals and communities to better deal with crises in the long-term, reducing crisis need. Providing timely support so that people can manage pressures, maintain control and avoid being pushed into crisis or prevent crises from escalating The CRF replaces the Household Support Fund (HSF) with the explicit intention of moving from short-term crisis mitigation towards prevention, financial resilience, and reduced reliance on emergency support. The Council will deliver CRF services internally through the Welfare Support Team and through a range of commissioned provider services that will provide effective crisis support, improve individual's financial resilience and bolster the local support landscape. This Contract is to commission a Credit Union service to incentivise saving behaviour amongst Hartlepool residents enabling service users to Improve financial resilience.