As April 2026 begins, local councils across the UK have already set their budgets and secured funding to support financially vulnerable communities. In this episode of the Debt Talk podcast with your host, Ripon Ray, we explore an issue that matters deeply to many people: Council Crisis & Resilience Funds.

I’m joined by three expert guests who help us unpack and navigate this vital topic:

Laura Stoker, Head of the Tackling Poverty Team at Lambeth Council, explains how previous discretionary payments introduced after welfare reform created uncertainty for local authorities and the people they were trying to support. She highlights that the current funding approach provides greater stability in helping low-income households. Laura also shares how councils identify vulnerable residents and the different ways they c ...