New client impact stories, resources to deliver CRF, CTR for 2027 and more

New guidance from DWP on the delivery of the new Crisis and Resilience Fund (CRF) signals one of the most significant shifts in local welfare support in years.

The CRF will launch in April 2026 and run for three years. It will allow councils to help residents deal with immediate financial shocks and prevent future crises by building financial resilience. This means delivering effective crisis support, investing in resilience services and strengthening joined up local support systems.

Policy in Practice worked with Trussell to advise DWP on the design of the fund, supporting a cash first approach. Read the report.

Our clients, including Bracknell Forest Council, who are a case study in DWP's guidance, are already meeting the core objectives of the CRF and proving that data is the most effective tool for long term poverty prevention.

We have published practical guidance and shared learning from councils already delivering this approach, including insight from Bracknell Forest Council and Plymouth City Council, alongside a webinar with DWP and sector partners.

Explore our CRF resources
CRF cheat sheet
Good practice case studies
CRF guidance for councils: A practical delivery guide
On demand webinar with speakers from Trussell, DWP and Plymouth City Council

As councils plan for 2027, Council Tax Reduction (CTR) remains one of the most powerful tools for protecting low income households. But a fast changing policy, funding and demand landscape means schemes that worked today may not work tomorrow.

We have refreshed our Five years of CTR trends report, A path to better Council Tax Support schemes, bringing together five years of analysis with a new foreword on why evidence led design is now essential. The findings have already shaped scheme changes coming into effect in April 2026, and the full report will be released shortly.

To explore what councils should be thinking about next, we are hosting a free webinar on Council Tax Reduction in 2027, focusing on the policy changes that matter most and how councils can respond in practice. We will be joined by Lindsay Sayer from South Norfolk and Broadland Councils, who will share her experience of redesigning and harmonising CTR schemes across districts, including what worked, what was challenging and what she would do differently.

Download the updated Five years of CTR trends report
Register for our webinar on Tuesday 17 February

As policy and local support systems evolve, too many people still miss out on £24 billion they are entitled to.

This week saw the publication of In Touching Distance, a new report from the Money and Mental Health Policy Institute, examining why people fail to access financial support. We were pleased to contribute to the report and to take part in a Parliamentary roundtable on improving access to support.

The report, alongside recent BBC coverage, highlights two core barriers. Many people are unaware of what they can claim, while others struggle to navigate complex systems, particularly when under financial or mental health pressure.

Our work focuses on tackling both. Our Better Off Calculator, listed on GOV.UK, helps identify entitlement and supports advisers to give more effective guidance. Proactive approaches like Apply Once go further, reducing barriers by simplifying journeys and enabling support to be delivered automatically where possible.

Through partnerships including the Greater London Authority and Thames Water, this approach has helped put over £50 million into people’s pockets. Our work with Nationwide Building Society identified £14 million of unclaimed support in the first four weeks of launch through a fully inclusive benefits checking service that offers both a self-serve online and app calculator, and a free expert telephone helpline.

Our clients show how better system design turns policy intent into real outcomes for households.

Learn more about Apply Once

Read The essential role online calculators play in closing the £24 billion unclaimed support gap

This month Surrey County Council began a targeted LIFT campaign, contacting about 14,500 households by letter and text to raise awareness of its STEP Surrey Skills, Training and Employment Portal.

The activity is being delivered in collaboration with seven district and borough councils using the LIFT platform, which links data from residents claiming Council Tax Support or Housing Benefit, enabling councils to identify key cohorts and target support more effectively.

Using LIFT’s Campaign Manager, Surrey is proactively connecting residents with tailored employment support, including Skills Bootcamps, WorkWell coaching for people with health conditions or disabilities, and specialist help for those facing more complex challenges.

Campaign Manager helps councils move from knowing who needs support to actually reaching them, quickly, at scale and without extra admin.

Learn more about Campaign Manager

Where we'll be in February

We’re attending a number of sector events in February. If you’re going too, do get in touch to pre book a meeting. We’ll be discussing the Crisis and Resilience Fund and sharing insights on its delivery.

Tuesday 3 February: Huggg CRF Summit and drinks reception (on us), Manchester
Thursday 5 February: Money Guiders Network, online
Tuesday 10 February: Huggg CRF Summit and drinks reception (on us), London

Where we were in January

January saw us contributing to sector discussions on poverty, work and access to support.

At HACT's Anti-Poverty Series: In Work Poverty roundtable we explored what poverty looks like for employees, the role Universal Credit can play in both helping and hindering, and how councils and housing providers can more proactively identify who's missing out on support.

We also joined the Whyte & Co conference, where we explored the proposed Ability to Pay standards, the £24 billion unclaimed support gap, and tools to maximise income and support greater financial resilience.

If we met in January, we'd love to continue the conversation. Book a call with us here.

LIFT: turning insight into action with Campaign Manager and Apply Once

This month we’re spotlighting LIFT's Campaign Manager and Apply Once to help councils move from insight to action. Campaign Manager enables councils to identify groups of residents using data and efficiently deliver targeted outreach at scale with minimal resources, supporting proactive delivery of discretionary support and the Crisis and Resilience Fund. Apply Once simplifies residents’ journeys by letting them give their information once, so they can be considered for multiple types of support. Both features are available now and are already helping councils reach more households with the right support.

We’re working on an exciting upgrade to LIFT and will share more details over the coming months.

Let's chat about how Campaign Manager and Apply Once can support your CRF plans

Better Off Calculator: improved user journey

We’re improving the core Better Off Calculator journey to make it clearer and easier to use, with simpler wording, smarter use of existing answers and fewer questions shown to people they don’t apply to. The calculator remains just as accurate, while becoming more accessible for people without specialist benefits knowledge, helping them to complete a check and access the support they’re entitled to. These updates will begin rolling out over the coming weeks.

Learn more