Resident guidance - All residents

Anchor Resident Support Fund

Helping residents stay safe, secure and settled in their homes.

In this guidance you will find:

What can the Anchor Resident Support Fund help with?
Who can use the Anchor Resident Support Fund?
How to make an application

What is the Anchor Resident Support Fund?

The Anchor Resident Support Fund is designed to provide practical support to residents and prospective residents who are experiencing financial difficulties or challenging circumstances that affect their ability to establish or maintain a home.

The fund helps people overcome barriers to independent living, improve their financial resilience and access the essential items and support they need to remain safe, secure and settled.

Support is awarded on a case-by-case basis and is targeted towards those with the greatest need.

What can the fund help with?

Depending on your circumstances, the fund may be able to help with:

Support when moving into a new Anchor home
Practical assistance where financial difficulties are affecting your ability to remain settled in your home
Essential household items such as white goods, furniture, beds and bedding.
Support for residents affected by domestic abuse, financial abuse, safeguarding concerns or exploitation
Assistance where anti-social behaviour has created additional costs or risks within the home
Short-term support with food or energy costs in exceptional circumstances

The type of support provided will depend on your individual circumstances and the purpose of the fund is to meet identified needs rather than provide general financial assistance.

Who can apply?

The fund is available to:

Existing Anchor residents
People who have been offered an Anchor tenancy and need support to start life in the new home

Applications are prioritised where there is evidence of financial hardship, vulnerability, safeguarding concerns, housing-related difficulties or other circumstances that place wellbeing or housing stability at risk.

How do we decide?

Every application is considered individually.

When assessing an application, we may consider:

Your financial circumstances
Any vulnerabilities, health conditions or support needs
The impact your situation is having on your home life and wellbeing
Whether alternative support is available from other organisations, such as your local authority
How the support requested will help you remain safe, secure and settled in your home

Some applications, particularly those made for financial hardship reasons, will require an budgeting check to ensure support is targeted where it is most needed.

Essential household items

Many people experience difficulties affording essential items needed to establish or maintain a home.
Where appropriate, the fund may be able to provide support towards items such as:

Fridges and freezers
Cookers and microwaves
Washing machines (if there is no communal laundry on site)
Beds and bedding
Essential household furniture
Other essential household items identified as necessary to support independent living

Awards are based on individual circumstances and available funding.

Food and energy support

The Resident Support Fund is no longer primarily a food and energy voucher scheme.
Where possible, we will help residents access support available through:

Local Authority Crisis and Resilience Funds
Food banks and community food projects
Energy support schemes
Charitable grants and local support organisations

However, where alternative support is unavailable, inaccessible or unsuitable, short-term assistance with food or energy costs may still be considered on a one off basis.

How do I apply?

Applications should be made with the support of an Anchor colleague, such as a Location Manager, or customer service advisor.

For applications based on financial hardship, you should complete a budget check before applying and give your budgeting assessment reference to your location manager. You can complete a budget check here.

By applying to the Resident Support Fund, you agree that a Be Wise adviser may contact you to discuss your circumstances and help identify any additional support available.

If you think you may need support, speak to your location manager about submitting an application on your behalf, or call the Be Wise Team on 0800 023 4477.

Need financial advice?

Anchor's Be Wise service provides free and confidential advice on:

Benefits and income maximisation
Budgeting
Energy affordability

Many residents find that advice and support can help address the underlying causes of financial difficulties and improve their long-term financial wellbeing.

Award Limits

The Anchor Support Fund is designed to provide targeted help to residents experiencing financial difficulty or other circumstances that place their tenancy at risk. To ensure the fund is fair and can support as many residents as possible, there are limits on the amount and type of assistance that can normally be provided. This may include limits on household items, furniture, white goods, food and fuel support. Where possible, we'll also help you access other local sources of assistance, such as your local authority's Crisis and Resilience Fund, food banks or community support schemes.

Every application is assessed individually, and in exceptional circumstances we may provide additional support where there is a significant risk to your safety, wellbeing or tenancy. If you are struggling financially, please speak to us. We'll work with you to identify the most appropriate support available, whether through the Support Fund or other organisations.

Frequently Asked Questions

Will I receive cash?
No. Support is usually provided through goods, services, vouchers or payments made directly to suppliers.

Can I apply more than once?
Possibly. Each application is assessed on its own merits and previous awards may be taken into account.

How long will it take to receive a decision?
We aim to make decisions as quickly as possible, although timescales may vary depending on the information required to assess your application.

Will applying affect my tenancy?
No. The purpose of the Resident Support Fund is to help residents remain safe, secure and settled in their homes.