VCFSE Sector Helps Shape Wirral’s New Crises and Resilience Fund

On Thursday, representatives from the VCFSE sector met with Wirral Council officers who will be delivering the next round of the Crises and Resilience Fund.

The session provided an opportunity to outline key elements of the new fund and to gather sector feedback to help shape an informed funding plan for the next three years.

The Crises and Resilience Fund is designed to support households experiencing financial hardship, while also helping residents build longer‑term financial security. The fund has two overarching objectives:

• Crisis Support – providing immediate help for households facing financial crisis or unexpected hardship.

• Resilience Support – helping households strengthen their financial resilience and reduce the risk of future crises.

Peter Cosgrove from Wirral Council delivered a presentation explaining how the Household Support Fund is coming to an end, and how the new Crises and Resilience Fund will build on and extend this work. He highlighted the key similarities and differences between the two funds and set out the Council’s initial thinking for the new approach.

Attendees were then invited to reflect on a series of questions, including:

• Looking back at the Household Support Fund, what worked well and what didn’t?

• Looking ahead to the Crises and Resilience Fund, what emerging opportunities do we see and what challenges might arise?

• What support systems should be in place to help low‑income residents manage sudden financial shocks?

• How can we strengthen long‑term financial resilience so individuals and communities are better able to withstand and recover from future crises?

  
  

The session concluded with an open discussion, giving organisations the opportunity to share their experiences, insights, and ideas. These contributions will help inform the development of the Crises and Resilience Fund and ensure it responds effectively to the needs of Wirral residents.

Potential Opportunities for the VCFSE sector

Many VCFSE organisations already provide support that helps prevent financial crises, such as advice services, community support, and practical problem-solving. CRF’s resilience focus may create opportunities to strengthen and expand preventative approaches.

CRF encourages earlier support to prevent hardship from escalating. Community organisations are often well placed to identify emerging issues and offer support before problems reach crisis point.

The new fund may encourage closer collaboration between local authorities, advice providers, community organisations, housing providers and other support services. This could support more joined-up pathways for residents seeking help.

As monitoring and reporting arrangements develop, there may be greater opportunities to demonstrate the impact of community-based support.

Better evidence of outcomes can help inform future policy development and strengthen the case for investment in preventative support.