Westminster cost of living support in 2026: Crisis Payments through North Paddington Foodbank, the £11m fund behind them, food pantries and who to call first.
Westminster cost of living support changed in April 2026. The Household Support Fund, which paid for supermarket vouchers and energy help for the past few years, has ended nationally, and Westminster City Council now runs an £11 million, three-year Crisis and Resilience Fund (CRF) from April 2026 to March 2029, paid for by the government. The council’s old Local Hardship Fund, which sent supermarket vouchers to people not on benefits, has closed to applications.
The part most people will need in an emergency is the Westminster Crisis Scheme: one-off Crisis Payments towards essential living costs, run for the council by North Paddington Foodbank. There is no online form. You get help by phoning the scheme or going through one of its partner charities, and an adviser makes the application with you.
Everything below comes from the council’s Crisis and Resilience Fund pages, last updated between 31 July and 7 October 2026.
The Westminster Crisis Scheme: emergency payments
The scheme is for Westminster residents on a low income who have had an unexpected financial shock and cannot afford essentials. The council gives these examples:
- a delay or interruption to benefit payments;
- a sudden loss of income or a job;
- domestic abuse or leaving an unsafe home;
- becoming homeless or being at immediate risk of it;
- leaving hospital, prison or supported accommodation without essential items;
- a family or relationship breakdown;
- a fire, flood or theft;
- an essential household expense you cannot afford.
It also covers households Westminster has placed in temporary accommodation outside the borough.
The council does not publish payment amounts. It says the amount depends on your circumstances and the assessment, every award is discretionary, and meeting the criteria does not guarantee a payment. We have not seen a set rate, so be wary of anyone quoting one.
How to apply
- Call North Paddington Foodbank’s Westminster Crisis Scheme team on 07932 623443, Monday to Friday, 10am to 5.30pm, or email crisis@npfoodbank.org.uk. You can also go in person to North Paddington Foodbank, 57 Goldney Road, W9 2AR.
- Initial conversation. The team talks through your situation and checks whether the scheme fits.
- Appointment. If it does, they book you in with their own triage team or with a partner charity nearer you or better suited to your needs.
- Assessment. The adviser completes a full assessment and, where appropriate, submits the Crisis Payment application for you.
- Decision and six weeks of support. If a payment is approved, the adviser keeps working with you for six weeks on a “Resilience Action Plan”: checking you get every benefit you are entitled to, debt and budgeting advice, and links to other services.
Have ready, if you can: proof you live in Westminster, ID, details of your household and income, and anything that explains what has happened. The council says to get in touch even if you do not have every document.
If you already work with Citizens Advice Westminster, the Cardinal Hume Centre or Age UK Westminster, ask your support worker; they can make the application directly.
Partner charities that can apply for you
| Organisation | Best for | Contact |
|---|---|---|
| North Paddington Foodbank | Anyone unsure where to start; north Westminster | 07932 623443, 57 Goldney Road W9 2AR |
| Citizens Advice Westminster | Benefits, debt, work and housing advice | 0808 278 7834 |
| Cardinal Hume Centre | Families with children, young people | 020 7227 1673, 3-7 Arneway Street SW1P 2BG |
| Coram Family Lives | Families and parenting | 0808 800 2222 |
| Age UK Westminster | Residents aged 50 and over | 020 3004 5610 |
| Hestia | Adults whose mental health affects their finances | 0808 169 9975 |
| The Passage | Homeless or at immediate risk | 020 7592 1850, Carlisle Place SW1P 1NL |
Families already working with Children’s Services can apply through their social worker or family practitioner, and the Queens Park, Church Street and Bessborough Family Hubs can also help.
Food banks and pantries funded by the council
The CRF funds a network of pantries and food projects. These are the ones the council lists, with the times it gives:
- Westbourne Park Pantry, Westbourne Park Baptist Church, Porchester Road W2 5DX: Thursday, 10am to 5pm.
- Emmanuel Pantry, Emmanuel Church, 389E Harrow Road W9 3NA: Friday, 2pm to 5pm.
- St Mary’s Social Supermarket, St Mary’s Church, Wyndham Place, York Street W1H 1PQ: Wednesday, 9.30am to 10.30am.
- The Abbey Centre Pantry, 34 Great Smith Street SW1P 3BU: Wednesday 9am to 5pm, Friday 9am to 4pm.
- Westminster Chapel Food, Buckingham Gate SW1E 6BS: Monday 1pm to 3pm, Thursday 11am to 1pm.
- HAFS Academy food voucher scheme, 2 Boscobel Street NW8 8PS: phone 0203 609 2983.
Pantry times change, so ring or check before a long journey.
Help with rent, council tax and advice
The CRF also pays for the CRF Housing Payment, the new name for Discretionary Housing Payment, which tops up Housing Benefit or Universal Credit when they do not cover the rent. Our guide to the Westminster Discretionary Housing Payment explains who qualifies and how to claim. Council tax help is separate: see Westminster Council Tax Support.
Free advice paid for by the fund includes three Citizens Advice debt and benefits officers working inside council housing services, Family Hubs and food banks; an Age UK Westminster income maximisation officer for older residents; and two North Paddington Foodbank officers doing outreach at community hubs. The council says more services, including specialist debt advice, youth support and housing-related financial help, are being added in phases through 2026.
The Hardship Fund has closed
You may still see the Westminster Council Local Hardship Fund mentioned online. It paid supermarket vouchers of £150 to £300 to residents on low incomes who did not get means-tested benefits. The council’s page now says applications have closed. If that was the help you were looking for, start with the Crisis Scheme number above.
If you are about to lose your home
Contact the council’s Housing Solutions Service as early as you can, and see our pages on the Westminster housing register and temporary accommodation. For immediate street homelessness, The Passage runs a resource centre at Carlisle Place.
Full details are on the council’s Crisis and Resilience Fund pages and its cost of living support hub.
Frequently asked questions
What replaced the Household Support Fund in Westminster? The Crisis and Resilience Fund, a government-funded scheme councils have run since April 2026. Westminster describes its version as an £11 million, three-year programme to March 2029, covering Crisis Payments, housing payments, advice and community support.
How do I apply for a Westminster Crisis Payment? You cannot apply online. Phone North Paddington Foodbank’s Westminster Crisis Scheme team on 07932 623443, Monday to Friday, 10am to 5.30pm, or go through a partner charity such as Citizens Advice Westminster. An adviser assesses you and makes the application.
How much is a Westminster Crisis Payment? The council does not publish a set amount. It depends on your circumstances and the assessment, and every award is discretionary.
Can I get help if I live in temporary accommodation outside Westminster? Yes. The council says the Crisis Scheme covers residents it has placed in temporary accommodation outside the borough.
Is the Westminster Hardship Fund still open? No. The council’s page says applications for the Local Hardship Fund have closed.
Where are the food banks in Westminster? The council lists pantries at Westbourne Park, Emmanuel Church on Harrow Road, St Mary’s in Marylebone, the Abbey Centre on Great Smith Street and Westminster Chapel, plus a voucher scheme at HAFS Academy. North Paddington Foodbank is at 57 Goldney Road.
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