Our research shows that Discretionary Housing Payments have significant limitations: budgets are insufficient to meet demand, forcing local authorities to make hard choices about prioritisation; there is wide geographical variation in the support available, raising concerns about equity; and DHPs are ill-equipped to tackle the systemic causes of housing insecurity and homelessness.

The new Crisis and Resilience Fund, launched April 2026, will incorporate DHPs in England, and offers some improvements - including multi-year funding, new data-sharing powers, and a focus on embedding local welfare support in the broader third sector eco-systems.

This briefing makes recommendations to the DWP, MHCLG and local authorities to fully harness the opportunity that the Crisis and Resilience Fund presents.