Tender: Digital Payment System for Crisis Payments and Resilience Services under the Crisis and Resilience Fund (HCC)

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HCC is seeking a supplier for a robust digital payment system to deliver Crisis Payments and support Resilience Services and Community Coordination under the Crisis and Resilience Fund (CRF). The CRF, which replaces the Household Support Fund and launched on 1 April 2026, requires local authorities to allocate funding across three strands—Crisis Payments (a cash‑first, multi-channel, application-based approach with self-referral and person‑centred, trauma‑informed, needs‑based payments), Resilience Services (debt advice, income maximisation, savings advice and affordable credit) and Community Coordination (strengthening partnerships and referral pathways). The payment solution must support multiple delivery routes including trusted professional partners, internal teams and other commissioned providers; reduce administrative burden; enable consistent controls across schemes; be accessible; and provide accurate management information for local oversight and DWP reporting. The CRF programme runs initially to 31 March 2029, HCC’s allocation for 26/27 is £11.3 million, and initial estimates indicate up to 30% of that allocation may be used for crisis payments.