Individual

Education Maintenance Allowance (EMA) is a weekly payment of £30, paid directly to young people aged 16 to 19 who continue in full-time education at school.

You'll need to apply for EMA each academic year.

You can get EMA if you're aged between 16 and 19 and are continuing your education at school.

You can apply for EMA if:

• you go to a school in the Renfrewshire area
• your household earns less than the income thresholds set by the Scottish Government, listed below
• your course is at least 21 hours of guided learning per week
• you agree and sign a valid learning agreement with your school.

A learning agreement sets out what's expected of you around attendance and coursework.

You can find out more about learning agreements in the ‘After you apply’ section below.

Household income

We look at the income of your parents or carers who live with you when awarding EMA.

To qualify for EMA, your household income must be no more than: 

• £24,421 per year before tax, if there’s 1 dependent child in full time education
• £26,884 per year before tax, if there’s more than 1 dependent child in full time education.

For EMA applications for the 2026 to 2027 school year, we'll assess your parents' or carers' household income for the previous financial year (April 2025 to April 2026).

EMA and benefits

EMAs will not affect any Tax Credit or other benefit payments your family receives from the government.

It will not affect any money you earn from a part-time job either.

Who cannot get EMA

You cannot get EMA if:

• you're under the age of 16
• you’re over the age of 19
• you have left school and are attending college – you should apply directly to the college for EMA.

If your application is approved and you’re awarded EMA, you'll get an EMA payment of £30 per week.

This will be paid every 2 weeks. Each payment covers the 2 weeks that just passed.

You'll only get paid if you meet the agreed attendance in your learning agreement.

EMA is not paid during school holidays in October, Christmas, Easter, or the summer holidays. It’s only paid when you’re at school during term time.

You’ll continue to get EMA payments if you’re on work experience during term time, but only if the work experience is a pre-arranged part of your course.

Your EMA is paid directly into your bank account. If you do not have a bank or building society account, you'll need to open one.

Your account must be able to accept BACS payments (these are payments that are paid electronically from one bank account to another). Check with your bank if you're not sure.

You can get EMA for up to 3 years. Vulnerable young people may receive support for up to 3 years within a 4-year period.

See when you can start to receive EMA during the 2026 to 2027 school year:

You can submit your EMA application early, even if you’re not entitled to receive payments until January.

If you're aged 16 or over and you have not yet applied for EMA:

• if you send your application before 30 September 2026, your payments may be backdated to the start of the school year
• if you send your application between 1 October 2026 and 28 February 2027, your payments will begin from the date we receive your application.

If you will turn 16 years old between 1 October 2026 and 28 February 2027, your payments may be backdated to the start of the January 2027 term. You must apply by 28 February 2027 to receive backdated payments.

We will not accept any applications for the 2026 to 2027 school year after 31 March 2027.

You'll only receive backdated payments to the August or January terms if you have met the conditions or your learning agreement.

Otherwise, payments will be made from the date we received your application.

Payments after summer exam period

S4 and S5 students returning for a further academic year

If you’ll remain in school for the next academic session, you’ll be eligible to receive EMA payments to the end of the academic year (usually June), if you meet the requirements of your learning agreement.

S4 and S5 students leaving school at the end of the academic year 

If you’re in S4 and S5 and do not plan to remain in school after the exam period is over, you’ll be eligible to receive an EMA until the end of the exam period.

S6 students leaving school at the end of the academic year 

If you’re in S6, you’ll be paid until the end of the exam period. 

You'll need to provide:

• your Qualifications Scotland Scottish Candidate Number (SCN)
• their contact phone number and email address
• the name of the school and your year of study
• the name, sort code, and account number of your bank or building society – this needs to be your own account and cannot belong to someone else.

Your parent or carer will need to provide: 

• their name, address and relationship to you
• their contact phone number and email address.

Your parent or carer will also need to provide evidence of household income, including one of the following:

• a P60 or a statement of earnings
• a statement of self-employment (Inland Revenue form SA302).

They must also provide proof of any benefits, Universal Credit, or pensions they receive.

They can upload files from a computer or laptop. Or they can use a camera enabled device, like a smartphone or tablet, to take photos of the documents and upload them.

If your parents or carers are self employed

If your parents or carers cannot provide the relevant documentation to confirm their income details, we’ll process your application as a provisional award. 

We’ll make weekly payments for any provisional award but only for part of the academic year. 

This award will then be put on hold until we receive the relevant finalised income details. 

If we assess your award provisionally, you must give us the final income details no later than 31 May 2027.

If you need further information on providing documentation, email us at ema.els@renfrewshire.gov.uk.

Apply for EMA online

Applications for EMA for the 2026 to 2027 school year will close on 31 March 2027.

Applications for Education Maintenance Allowance for the 2025 to 2026 school year closed on 31 March 2026.

Applications for the 2026 to 2027 school year will open in June 2026.

We'll email you with a case reference number, and we'll assess your application.

We'll contact you if we need any more information.

We'll aim to let you know our decision within 28 working days.

If you apply before school starts in August, we'll let you know by email if you have been awarded EMA.

We'll start to send award packs by post from August. The award pack will contain a learning agreement and a letter telling you what you need to do with the learning agreement.

If you apply at any other time during the school year, we'll send you an award pack by post if your application has been awarded.

You must return your learning agreement within 3 weeks of receiving your award pack.

You'll start receiving EMA payments after you’ve signed your learning agreement with your school and we’ve received the signed agreement from them.

Learning agreement

To receive EMA payments, you must have signed an EMA learning agreement. It must also be signed by your parent or carer and your school.

If you are disabled or have additional support needs (ASN), you do not need to sign the learning agreement.

A new EMA learning agreement must be completed for each academic year.

We will only pay you if you meet the conditions set out in the learning agreement.

We may stop EMA payments if the school informs us that you have failed to meet the conditions of your learning agreement.

If you have a programme of learning at more than one school, you’ll need to have a separate EMA learning agreement signed by each school you are registered at.

If your programme of learning changes and you start another course at school, the EMA learning agreement will be changed. This will need to be signed by you and the school. 

If you change school during the year, a new EMA learning agreement will need to be signed by you, the school, and your parent or carer.

We will not accept learning agreements for the 2026 to 2027 school year after 31 May 2027.

Why an EMA payment may be stopped

Your school may recommend that we stop paying an EMA. This could be based on a number of reasons, including:

Absence

We may stop payment if you do not maintain 100% attendance at school

If you’re sick or cannot attend school, you’ll need to provide evidence. 

You should collect self-certificates from the school office on the first day you return from sickness and return this to the school office within 3 school days. 

You can self-certify for up to 5 full days or 10 half days of sickness in the academic year.

After this, you’ll need to produce a medical certificate. You should send a medical certificate to your school as soon as possible.

If your medical absence extends over 3 weeks, it will be reviewed by the headteacher. The school will consider your individual circumstances.

If you’re absent for reasons other than illness – for example, for interviews, dental appointments, or hospital appointments – you should tell your school immediately.

Persistent late coming

You’ll receive a warning after 5 unexplained or unacceptable late comings to school. 

After a warning, if you have a further 2 late comings in any one week, we’ll stop payment for that week.

Conduct

We may withhold payment if you breach the school’s discipline policy – for example, if there are 2 behaviour referrals during a fortnight.

Exclusions

We will not make payments if you have been excluded from school.

Reassessment of an EMA decision

You can ask us to reassess our decision if:

• your earlier EMA application was unsuccessful
• your household income falls during the year to within the income thresholds.

You must ask us for a reassessment and provide evidence to confirm the change in circumstance and the current level of household income. 

To do this, email us at ema.els@renfrewshire.gov.uk.

We will not reassess your EMA if your household income rises during the year.

More information

If you need more information on EMA or eligibility, email us at ema.els@renfrewshire.gov.uk.

Free school meals 

You can get free school meals for your child at secondary school if you get certain benefits. 

All children at an Additional Support Needs (ASN) school get free school meals in secondary school for each school day. You'll also get meal payments during the holidays for your child if you're on certain benefits. 

School meal payments during the holidays 

You can also get payments for meals for your child during the school holidays if get certain benefits.

Your child in secondary school can get free meals in school and holiday payments if they go to a Renfrewshire school and you get: 

• Universal Credit (where your monthly earned income is not more than £995)
• Income Support
• income-based Job Seeker's Allowance
• income-based Employment and Support Allowance
• support under Part VI of the Immigration and Asylum Act 1999.

If you're applying for a child who has not previously attended a Renfrewshire Council school, we cannot process an application until their enrolment has been completed. This is usually during the early part of August. 

If you live in Renfrewshire and your child goes to a special school or special unit that is not within Renfrewshire, and if you meet the eligibility criteria, you can get the free school meal holiday payments.

Who cannot get it

If you do not meet the benefits criteria listed, you cannot get free school meal holiday payments. Find out where to get money and benefits advice.

You can apply for free school meals and a clothing grant at the same time. Find out about clothing grants.

You'll need to provide us with:  

• your National Insurance number 
• evidence of your household income - you can upload the proof  
• evidence of Housing Benefit or Council Tax Reduction - you can upload proof, or ask us to verify your housing benefit or Council Tax Reduction entitlement using our systems
• evidence of your Scottish Child Payment
• details of the child or children you're applying for - full name, gender, date of birth and the school they'll attend during the school year that you're applying for
• the bank or building society account details - holiday meal payments are paid directly into a bank account.

Applications for free school meals open on Monday 1 June 2026 and close on Monday 31 May 2027.

You only need to apply once in each school year. Apply as early as you can as we do not back date any applications. 

Apply for free school meals and clothing grants

If you're eligible for the free school meal payments, you'll also get a clothing grant. You can apply for both on the same form. Find out about clothing grants. 

You can only apply online. 

If you need help to apply: 

• contact your school
• or phone us on 0300 300 0300, Monday to Thursday from 8:45am to 4:45pm and Friday from 8:45am to 3:55pm.

Applications for free school meals open on Monday 1 June 2026.

How we make a decision 

We'll check the evidence you provide. If it meets the eligibility criteria, you'll get money added to your ParentPay account and the holiday meal payments will be paid into the bank or building society account that you gave us. 

You should speak to your school if you do not have a ParentPay account. 

How we pay it 

Holiday meal payments are made directly into your bank account 4 times in a school year, in: 

• October for the mid-term holiday
• December for the Christmas holiday
• March or April ­­for the Easter holiday
• June for the summer holiday (the 6-week summer payments are for children who have applied the previous year - so you need to have applied by the end of June to get the summer payments). 

We do not back date payments - they start from when you apply. 

You get a payment of £2.35 per weekday per child during the holidays.

Free school meals 

All children at primary school in P1, P2, P3, P4 and P5 get free school meals every day they're at school. You do not need to apply for this. 

If you're the parent or carer of a child at primary school in P6 and P7, and you get certain benefits, you can apply to get free school meals. 

School meal payments during the holidays 

If you're the parent or carer of a child at primary school, and you're on certain benefits, you can get payments for meals during the school holidays. You need to apply once in each school year.

You do not get payments during the holidays if your child in is P6 and P7 and your only benefit is the Scottish Child Payment.

Your child can get free meals payments during the holidays and free school meal in P6 and P7 if they go to a Renfrewshire school, and you get:

• Universal Credit (where your monthly earned income is not more than £995)
• Income Support
• income-based Job Seeker's Allowance
• income-based Employment and Support Allowance
• support under Part VI of the Immigration and Asylum Act 1999.

Your child can get free school meals at school (but not the payments in the holidays) in P6 and P7 if they go to a Renfrewshire school, and you get: 

• Scottish Child Payment.

If you're applying for a child who has not previously attended a Renfrewshire Council school, we cannot process an application until their enrolment has been completed. This is usually during the early part of August.

If you live in Renfrewshire and your child goes to a special school or special unit that is not within Renfrewshire, and if you meet the eligibility criteria, you can get the free school meal holiday payments.

Who cannot get it

If you do not meet the benefits criteria listed, you cannot get free school meal holiday payments. Find out where to get money and benefits advice.

You can apply for free school meals and a clothing grant at the same time. Find out about clothing grants.

You'll need to provide us with:  

• your National Insurance number 
• evidence of your household income - you can upload the proof  
• evidence of Housing Benefit or Council Tax Reduction - you can upload proof, or ask us to verify your housing benefit or Council Tax Reduction entitlement using our systems
• evidence of your Scottish Child Payment
• details of the child or children you're applying for - full name, gender, date of birth and the school they'll attend during the school year that you're applying for
• the bank or building society account details - holiday meal payments are paid directly into a bank account.

Applications for free school meals open on Monday 1 June 2026 and close on Monday 31 May 2027.

You only need to apply once in each school year. Apply as early as you can as we do not back date any applications. 

Apply for free school meals and clothing grants

If you're eligible for the free school meal payments, you'll also get a clothing grant. You can apply for both on the same form. Find out about clothing grants. 

You can only apply online. 

If you need help to apply: 

• contact your school
• or phone us on 0300 300 0300, Monday to Thursday from 8:45am to 4:45pm and Friday from 8:45am to 3:55pm.

Applications for free school meals open on Monday 1 June 2026.

How we make a decision 

We'll check the evidence you provide. If it meets the eligibility criteria, you'll get money added to your ParentPay account and the holiday meal payments will be paid into the bank or building society account that you gave us. 

You should speak to your school if you do not have a ParentPay account. 

How we pay it 

Holiday meal payments are made directly into your bank account 4 times in a school year, in: 

• October for the mid-term holiday
• December for the Christmas holiday
• March or April ­­for the Easter holiday
• June for the summer holiday (the 6-week summer payments are for children who have applied the previous year - so you need to have applied by the end of June to get the summer payments). 

We do not back date payments - they start from when you apply. 

You get a payment of £2.35 per weekday per child during the holidays.

Some children get free meals for at nursery.

They may also get a daily portion of milk and a healthy snack if they attend nursery or childcare for more than 2 hours a day. Speak to your nursery about the specific meals, snacks or milk they provide.

If your child is eligible for funded early learning and childcare they can get a free meal on the days they go to a Renfrewshire Council early learning and childcare nursery and in approved funded provider settings.

If your child attends a Renfrewshire Council nursery and is not eligible for a funded early learning and childcare place, you can get a free school meals if you get:

• Universal Credit (where your monthly earned income is not more than £995)
• Income Support
• income-based Job Seeker's Allowance
• income-based Employment and Support Allowance
• support under Part VI of the Immigration and Asylum Act 1999.

You do not need to apply if your child is eligible for funded early learning and childcare, they will get a meal automatically.

You need to apply if your child does not get a funded place and you meet the eligibility criteria.

Apply for free school meals 

Applications open on Monday 1 June 2026.

Scottish Child Payment, a four-weekly payment to help with costs for children under 16.

School Age Payment, a one off payment for when children normally start school.

A clothing grant is money given to you so that you can buy school uniforms for your child.

Depending on when you apply in the school year, you can get a payment in the summer for the start of the school year and another payment in the winter.

Your child can get a clothing grant if they go to a Renfrewshire school, and you get:

• Housing Benefit
• or Council Tax Reduction.

Your child can get a clothing grant and free meals in school and meal payments during the holidays, if they go to a Renfrewshire school and you get:

• Universal Credit (where your monthly earned income is not more than £995)
• Income Support
• income-based Job Seeker's Allowance
• income-based Employment and Support Allowance
• support under Part VI of the Immigration and Asylum Act 1999.

If you're applying for a child who has not previously attended a Renfrewshire Council nursery or school, we'll be unable to process an application until their enrolment has been completed. This is usually during the early part of August.

If you live in Renfrewshire and your child goes to a special school or special unit that is not within Renfrewshire, and if you meet the eligibility criteria, you'll get the grant.

Who cannot get a clothing grant

Children at nursery are not entitled to a clothing grant.

If you do not meet the benefits criteria listed, you cannot get a clothing grant.

Find out where to get help with money and benefits.

You can apply for a clothing grant free school meals at the same time.

You'll need to tell us:  

• your National Insurance number
• evidence of your household income - you can upload the proof to this form.
• evidence of Housing Benefit or Council Tax Reduction - you can upload proof, or ask us to verify your Housing Benefit or Council Tax Reduction entitlement using our systems
• details of the child or children you're applying for - full name, gender, date of birth and the school they'll attend during the school year that you're applying for
• your bank or building society account details - clothing grants are paid directly into a bank account.

Applications for clothing grants open on Monday 1 June 2026 and close on Wednesday 31 March 2027.

Apply for a clothing grant and free school meals 

If you're also eligible for the free school meal payments, we'll tell you after you apply. You can apply for both on the same form. Find out about:

• free school meals and holiday payments for primary pupils
• free school meals and holiday payments for secondary pupils.

You can only apply online.

If you need help to apply:

• contact your school
• or phone us on 0300 300 0300, Monday to Thursday from 8:45am to 4:45pm and Friday from 8:45am to 3:55pm.

Applications for clothing grants open on Monday 1 June 2026 and close on Wednesday 31 March 2027.

It usually takes 3 weeks to process a successful application.

For children who are 16 and could leave school after June - after your application, we may need to verify they have returned to school after the school year begins.

How we make a decision 

We'll check the evidence you provide. If it meets the eligibility criteria, you'll get the clothing grant payments.

How we pay it

The amount of clothing grant for each eligible pupil is:

• £120 for primary aged children, and a winter payment of £50
• £150 for secondary aged children, and a winter payment of £50.

Make sure to apply as early as you can so that you also get a payment in October for the winter. We do not back date claims.

Scottish Child Payment, a four-weekly payment to help with costs for children under 16.

School Age Payment, a one off payment for when children normally start school.

Background

The Scottish Government aims to ensure that every family gets the right support at the right time for long as it is needed, to fulfil children's rights to be raised safely in their own families. 

It introduced the Whole Family Wellbeing Fund in 2022 for the duration of this Parliament to help families to overcome challenges before they reach crisis point, and to significantly reduce the number of children and young people in care by 2030. 

The Scottish Government's ambition is that by 2030 at least 5% of all community-based health and social care spend will be on preventative whole family support measures.

The Renfrewshire Children's Services Partnership (RCSP)

Renfrewshire's Children's Services Partnership (RCSP) is responsible for ensuring that services delivered to children, young people and their families in Renfrewshire are the best they can be.

Membership of the RCSP include the council, other public sector organisations, and the third sector. Together, we identify local priorities and plan how we can join up to add value and deliver services to children, young people and their families that make a real difference to their lives.

One of the aims of the RCSP is for family support to be readily available to families that need it. We want to make sure that families can access the help they need, where and when they need it. 

We want parents to be able to access holistic support which addresses the needs of children and adults in a family at the time of need rather than at crisis point. This will help families to flourish and reduce the chances of family breakdown, and of children entering the care system.

The Scottish Government has provided an amount of Whole Family Wellbeing Funding to the RCSP to build local capacity for transformational system change and to scale up and drive the delivery of holistic whole family support services.

We know from local data that 18% of Renfrewshire's children live in families affected by poverty. Our communities face further challenge through a cost-of-living crisis, with the cost of heating our homes and buying food and basic provisions increasing. Some parents can feel isolated without a strong network of family support, not knowing who to turn to for help.

More and more of Renfrewshire's children and young people are seeking support with their mental health and wellbeing. We understand the link between adverse childhood experiences and the risk this presents to mental health and wellbeing. We also appreciate that the impacts of these events can sometimes carry through to adulthood, and that parents and carers might struggle to cope and respond positively to certain situations or challenges. 

This reinforces our approach to early intervention, and developing ways to work with children, young people, and their families to help them cope before reaching a crisis.
Third sector and community organisations can play a vital role in supporting families within their local communities and are able to use knowledge and connections to build a network of support around vulnerable families.

National principles for holistic whole family support

The 10 principles of holistic family support are:

1. Non-stigmatising: Support should be promoted and provided free from stigma and judgement. Services should be as normalised as accessing universal services.
2. Whole Family: Support should be rooted in GIRFEC and wrapped around about the whole family. This requires relevant join up with adult services & whole system, place based, preventative addressing inequalities.
3. Needs based: Support should be tailored to fit around each individual family, not be driven by rigid services or structures. It should cover the spectrum of support from universal services, more tailored support for wellbeing and intensive support (to prevent or in response to statutory interventions). Creative approaches to support should be encouraged.
4. Assets and community based: Support should be empowering, building on existing strengths within the family and wider community. Families should be able to 'reach in' not be 'referred to'. Support must be explicitly connected to locations that work for local families and the community, such as schools, health centres, village halls, and sports centres.
5. Timely and Sustainable: Flexible, responsive, and proportionate support should be available to families as soon as they need it, and for as long as it is required, adapting to changing needs.
6. Promoted: Families should have easy, well understood routes of access to support. They should feel empowered to do so and have choice about the support they access to ensure it meets their needs.
7. Take account of families' voice: At a strategic and individual level, children and families should be meaningfully involved in the design, delivery, evaluation, and continuous improvement of services. Support should be based on trusted relationships between families and professionals working together with mutual respect to ensure targeted and developmental support.
8. Collaborative and Seamless: Support should be multi-agency and joined up across services, so families don't experience multiple 'referrals' or inconsistent support.
9. Skilled and supported workforce: Support should be informed by an understanding of attachment, trauma, inequality, and poverty. Staff should be supported to take on additional responsibilities and trusted to be innovative in responding to the needs of families.
10. Underpinned by Children's Rights: Children's rights should be the funnel through which every decision and support service is viewed.

Key aims of the fund

The key aims of the Whole Family Wellbeing fund are to:

• support the whole system transformational change required to reduce the need for crisis intervention
• shift investment towards prevention and early intervention.

In accordance with The Promise, the Scottish Government recognises that we need whole system change in line with the 10 Principles for Holistic Family Support incorporating the following core components of how holistic, whole family support is delivered:

• Children and families at the centre of design - a children's rights-based approach to improved family wellbeing, with services designed with children, young people, and their families' needs at the centre, supporting all families to flourish and thrive.
• Availability and access - all families know how to and can access multi-sectoral, holistic, whole family support.
• Leadership, workforce, and culture - cross-sectoral commitment to collaboration and innovation which empowers and supports the workforce to provide family-centred holistic support.
• Whole system approach – a collaborative, multi-agency and multidisciplinary approach to the funding, commissioning, and delivery of family support.

Applications are open to voluntary and community groups and organisations that have a constitution bank account, such as:

• registered charities
• groups or clubs
• not-for-profit companies
• community interest companies
• community councils.

We are looking for projects focusing on community step change.

Your proposal must be a newly developed innovation for your organisation which will engage more parent and families - not just based on the families you are currently working with.

Projects and activities should be:

• open to all families across Renfrewshire, free and easy to access
• inclusive, welcoming, respectful, and safe
• able or willing to provide connections to other services and supports
• flexible in its provision of support to include evenings and weekend where required.

Examples of projects and activities might be:

• out of school and weekend clubs for children with disabilities where children can have fun, and their parents can have some respite time
• organisation to release a member of staff to be trained and to deliver high quality parenting programmes
• parenting support groups for parents / carers of children with autism using a toolkit recommended in the Autism Toolkit
• support in setting boundaries for families of children displaying distressed and risk-taking behaviour through a training programme such as those promoted in the Council Parenting Strategy
• activity group programmes for families to build family cohesion, have fun together and learn new skills around a particular area such as cooking, gardening, arts and crafts etc.

The funding could also be for staffing and related costs that provides a range of supports. 

This could include but is not limited to 

• advice and guidance
• practical help and support
• befriending support
• group work focused on specific outcomes.

What you cannot use the funding for

You cannot use funding for:

• one-off activities, like an open or fun day
• activities that are not free
• events to raise funds for other charities
• costs for activities that have already taken place
• applications to support individuals.

What your application should include

Your application should describe:

• the work the organisation wants to host
• how it meets the needs of families who are in one or more of these categories:
  • families of children with a neurodevelopmental disorder, for example Autistic Spectrum disorder (ASD), Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD) either pre or post diagnosis
  • families of children aged 0 to 8 requiring parenting support or support for distressed behaviours
  • families of children aged 11 to 16 displaying distressed or risk-taking behaviour
  • families of children with disabilities.

Your application should be in line with the 10 principles of holistic family support.

You must also make sure your application demonstrates your family engagement and safeguarding procedures.

Email ruth.wallace@renfrewshire.gov.uk before 12noon on Friday 30 January 2026 for an application form.

Information you need to include with your application

Once you have submitted your application form, you’ll need to send these documents to ruth.wallace@renfrewshire.gov.uk:

• an activity plan and schedule for your proposed project
• a copy of your safeguarding policy
• a copy of your Public Liability Insurance certificate (if applicable)
• a bank statement less than 3 months old (unless you are applying as an individual)
• a copy of your most recent annual accounts or an income and expenditure statement - these should be less than 15 months old, dated and signed as approved - you can include a link to the Scottish Charity Regulator (OSCR) or to a Companies House submitted file
• a signed, dated copy of the organisation’s Constitution or Memorandum and Articles of Association - you can include a link to the Scottish Charity Regulator (OSCR) or to a Companies House submitted file
• a photocopy of your ID - either a passport, birth certificate or driving licence (for individuals). This data is to verify the applicant's ID only and will not be retained by the Council beyond our eligibility checks.

Include your organisations title and Whole Family Wellbeing in the subject line of the email.

How we make a decision

Applications will be reviewed by a panel of staff from Renfrewshire Children's Services Partnership before a decision is made.

The scoring panel will meet in February.

We may visit you to gather further information about your project before making a final decision.

Final decisions will be made by the end of February 2026.

Conditions of the grant

If you are awarded funding, you must accept and comply with Renfrewshire Council's standard grant terms and conditions.

The funding must demonstrate impact and added value for families. We are required to report to the Scottish Government on how we are positively effecting transformational change for families.

We’ll ask you to submit quarterly reports on progress against your objectives. We’ll create a form to do this and provide you with ongoing support to ensure you have the appropriate data sets in place.

If you’re applying to fund a staff member to be trained and to deliver an evidence-based programme, you must commit to that staff member engaging in the coaching and supervision programmes that we offer, and to the recording and reporting of relevant data which shows impact on family wellbeing. 

The funding must be spent by the end of March 2027.

Ongoing support for successful projects

A WFWF Community of Practice will be set up for the successful bidders to be able to collaborate and share ideas throughout the duration of the lifespan of the fund.

If you would like to discuss the priorities or application process, email ruth.wallace@renfrewshire.gov.uk. 

The Cultural Organisations Fund (COF) supports established local organisations to undertake programmes of creative and cultural activity that delivers public benefit and aligns with the council’s strategic aims for culture.

The objectives of the fund are to:

• enable cultural organisations to deliver long-term engagement with the arts, culture, and heritage through engaging and innovative programming
• strengthen organisational sustainability that continues to raise cultural ambition in Renfrewshire
• support organisations which have an ongoing commitment to diversifying and expanding cultural participation.

How much you can apply for

There are 3 tiers of funding you can apply for:

• £10,000 a year, up to a total of £30,000 over 3 financial years
• £15,000 a year, up to a total of £45,000 over 3 financial years
• £20,000 a year, up to a total of £60,000 over 3 financial years.

However, funding is limited, and we may not be able to give grants to all eligible organisations. 

The funding period is from 17 July 2025 to 14 March 2028, and the fund can be used across 3 financial years.

Your organisation should be a formally registered company or charity whose primary purpose is promoting culture and creativity. 

This includes:

• charities registered in Scotland and undertaking activity related to the arts, creativity, and culture.
• companies limited by guarantee that can clearly demonstrate their programme of work will promote the public good through arts and culture.
• community interest companies (CICs) registered at Companies House with a focus on arts and culture. 

Your organisation must:

• have a UK bank account in the same name as the organisation
• pay all hourly staff at least the National Living Wage
• pay freelance creative contracts in line with the Scottish Artists Union (SAU), Musicians Union (MU), or other relevant representative body’s rate.or other relevant representative body’s rate.

The funding can be used for programme or operational costs. 

Organisations can decide on the best use of the funds based on their needs and priorities throughout the 3-year funding period. 

However, a minimum of 40% of each annual budget must be allocated to programming. 

Programming costs

Funding can be used to undertake programmes of creative and culture activity including:

• promoting local culture and history from across the region
• improving the wellbeing of communities through engagement in cultural activity
• producing innovative cultural experiences in Renfrewshire for residents and visitors
• revitalising civic spaces in Renfrewshire’s town centres through cultural production
• offering employment opportunities that demonstrate Renfrewshire’s cultural sector as a positive place to work. 

Operational costs

This can include contributions towards overhead costs, such as:

• rental
• staffing
• services
• building repairs to help keep cultural spaces open for the community.

Application guidance

Your application should demonstrate how your proposed activity represents good value for public money.

Make sure you have read the full Cultural Organisations Fund (COF) guidance before you start your application.

You also need to complete a Cultural Organisations Fund (COF) equalities monitoring form which you can upload to the online form.

If you have any questions applying for it, email us at  cof-enquiries@renfrewshire.gov.uk.

Information you need to tell us on your application

Operational details

You need to tell us:

• your organisation’s name, address, website (if you have one), registration number, organisational status and aims
• the details of the lead contact person
• operational details including number of employees, volunteers, or practitioners you work with
• your target demographic groups
• main and secondary artforms
• what geographical areas in Renfrewshire you deliver activity in.

Business plan

You need to provide us with a business plan that includes:

• a full description of the activities and services your organisation offers
• the organisation’s strategic aims and benefits to the community
• a breakdown of your organisation’s planned expenditure for 2025 to 2026, 2026 to 2027, and 2027 to 2028, including projected income and expenditure across operational, staffing, and programming costs
• an outline annual plan for 2025 to 2026 (maximum 2 pages).

Financial information

We also need this financial information:

• the organisation’s bank account details
• a bank statement less than 3 months old
• a copy of your most recent annual accounts or an income and expenditure statement - these should be less than 15 months old, dated and signed as approved (you can include a link to the Scottish Charity Regulator (OSCR) or to a Companies House submitted file).

Organisation information

You will need to provide this information about your organisation:

• a signed, dated copy of the organisation’s constitution or memorandum and articles of association - you can include a link to the Scottish Charity Regulator (OSCR) or to a Companies House submitted file
• your organisation’s safeguarding or child protection policies, if applicable
• your organisation’s equalities policy or clear evidence of commitment to equalities and diversity
• a completed equalities monitoring form using the template provided.

Any other relevant information

You can also add any other relevant information, ideally in PDF format, to support your application, such as:

• examples of previous work
• letters of support
• evidence of income from other sources
• CVs of artists or key staff involved in your project.

Before you start, you’ll need to register for MyAccount through mygov.scot. If you’ve already registered, you do not need to do it again.  

Help with registering and signing-in (mygov.scot).

You can save the form at any time by selecting Save at the bottom of any page of the form. 

You'll then get an email with a link to your saved draft. You can also access the saved draft from the 'My Requests' tab on the MyAccount home page.

We recommend you also keep a version of your application in a separate document. This is in case there are any connection issues while you are filling out the form and it’s not saved or submitted.

We cannot accept late applications. You must submit all required documents online by the deadline for us to consider your application.

If you need an application form in a different format, email cof-enquiries@renfrewshire.gov.uk.
 

Information sessions

There are 2 online information sessions for prospective applicants:

• Tuesday 15 April 2025
• Wednesday 30 April 2025

Contact us at cof-enquiries@renfrewshire.gov.uk to book your place at one of our information sessions. Let us know which date you want to attend.

If you need help to apply, email us at cof-enquiries@renfrewshire.gov.uk. 

We’ll check to make sure your application is eligible and complete. 

If it’s incomplete, we’ll contact you about the missing or incomplete information we need. You’ll have 5 working days to send us this information. 

If we do not get the information by then, your application will not be taken forward.

How we make a decision

We evaluate all applications based on these 3 criteria:

• how well the proposal fits with our 5 strategic aims for culture
• governance and management
• financial risk and mitigation.

You can read the full assessment criteria and scoring in Appendix 1 of the Cultural Organisations Fund (COF) guidance.

When we’ll tell you about your application

We’ll email you on Wednesday 16 July 2025 to let you know our decision.

If your organisation is awarded funding

You’ll receive an email with the grant offer letter, including information on payment schedules and reporting.

You’ll be expected to set annual targets with the council and report on the delivery of these aims at the end of each financial year.

If you do not get funding

If your organisation is not successful with your application, we’ll contact you to tell you why, but your application will not proceed any further. 

Contact us you have any questions about the fund.
 

The Culture, Heritage and Events Fund (CHEF) is a fund for artists, organisations and communities to support creative projects and events throughout Renfrewshire and beyond.

The purpose of the fund is to raise cultural ambition and stimulate new cultural, heritage and events activity, aiming to create long-lasting cultural, economic and social transformation in Renfrewshire.

The objectives of the fund

The objectives of the fund are to:

• increase the number of people taking part in creative activity in Renfrewshire
• increase opportunities for young people to develop their creative ambition
• stimulate the local economy
• realise the potential contribution creativity can make to education, social inclusion and quality of life
• broaden the network of people developing cultural and creative projects in Renfrewshire
• increase the number of people visiting Renfrewshire
• raise the profile of Renfrewshire throughout the UK.
  The Culture, Heritage and Events Fund is funded by Renfrewshire Council.

Round 14 funding is open to organisations and individuals based or working in Renfrewshire who want to create or develop cultural or heritage activities that benefit or engage communities in Renfrewshire. 

This includes:

• independent artists, designers, makers and producers
• artists collectives, cultural organisations and networks
• voluntary or community organisations
• schools, colleges and universities
• businesses including social enterprises and creative industries.

Support for applicants representing black and ethnic minority communities or new Scots

As part of our commitment to increasing cultural diversity through fund-supported activities and projects, you can get one-to-one support with your application if you are representing Black and ethnic minority communities or New Scots. 

If you would like this support, email us at chef-enquiries@renfrewshire.gov.uk.
 

CHEF supports projects that encourage engagement and participation in cultural and heritage activities in Renfrewshire.

Activity supported includes:

• the production of new artistic work
• research and development for professional artists and creative organisations
• workshops
• performances
• festivals and events
• exhibitions
• tours
• other opportunities for residents and visitors to

Renfrewshire to engage with the arts, heritage and culture.
You cannot apply for activities that:

• are not related to culture, heritage and events
• do not benefit or engage people in Renfrewshire
• will start before 1 October 2025. 

You can apply for grants of up to £20,000. The average grant award in previous funding rounds was £8,621.

However, there is a cap on the funding, and it is expected demand will be high,  so we can't guarantee you'll get a grant or get the amount you've applied for.

You should demonstrate how your proposed activity represents good value for public money, and we encourage you to look for income from other sources and in-kind support where possible. 

In-kind support refers to non-cash contributions that directly benefit a project and reduce its overall cost, such as donations of goods, services, or time rather than money.

Information sessions

There are 2 online information sessions for prospective applicants:

• Tuesday 27 May 2025, from 10am to 11am
• Wednesday 4 June 2025 from 2pm to 3pm

Contact us at chef-enquiries@renfrewshire.gov.uk to book your place at one of our information sessions. Let us know which date you want to attend.

Or if you can’t join the information sessions, and have questions about CHEF, email chef-enquiries@renfrewshire.gov.uk. 
 

Application guidance

Make sure you have read the full Culture, Heritage and Events Fund (CHEF) guidance before you start your application.

Information you need to include in your application

Project details

If you’re an organisation, you’ll need to provide us with details of your proposed project:

• the name, start and end dates, purpose, identified needs, outcomes, monitoring and evaluation, and who is involved in its delivery
• number of participants or audience members, location of activities, and types of artforms or cultural specialities
• total project costs, amount of funding requested, and breakdown of individual items.

Operational details

You need to tell us:

• your organisation’s name, address, website (if you have one), organisational status, registration number, years in operation, and aims
• the details of the lead contact person
• number of employees, volunteers, or practitioners you work with
• the main activities of the organisation
• what geographical areas in Renfrewshire, Scotland or the UK you will deliver activity in.

Financial information

We also need this financial information:

• the organisation’s bank account details
• a bank statement less than 3 months old
• a copy of your most recent annual accounts or an income and expenditure statement - these should be less than 15 months old, dated and signed as approved - you can include a link to the Scottish Charity Regulator (OSCR) or to a Companies House submitted file
• details of any funding you’ve received from us in the last 3 years.

If you’re a new organisation, you can provide us with estimates of income and expenditure for the first 12 months in operation.

Organisation information

You will need to provide this information about your organisation:

• a signed, dated copy of the organisation’s constitution or memorandum and articles of association - you can include a link to the Scottish Charity Regulator (OSCR) or to a Companies House submitted file
• your organisation’s safeguarding or child protection policies, if applicable
• your organisation’s equalities policy or clear evidence of commitment to equalities and diversity
• a completed equalities monitoring form using the template provided.

Any other relevant information

You can also add any other relevant information, ideally in PDF format, to support your application, such as:

• examples of previous work
• letters of support

For individual applicants  

If you’re applying as an individual, you’ll need to provide us with: 

• the name, start and end dates, purpose, identified needs, outcomes, monitoring and evaluation, and who is involved in its delivery
• number of participants or audience members, location of activities, and types of artforms or cultural specialities
• total project costs, amount of funding requested, and breakdown of individual items
• details of any funding you’ve received from us in the last 3 years
• a photocopy of your identity (ID), like a passport, birth certificate, or driving licence - this is only to verify your identity and will not be retained beyond our eligibility checks
• your bank account details – so we can pay you if you are awarded a grant
• safeguarding or child protection policies, if applicable
• a completed equalities monitoring form using the template provided
• any other relevant information to support your application, such as examples of previous work or letters of support.

See our privacy policy on how we use your data.

Before you start, you’ll need to register for MyAccount through mygov.scot. If you’ve already registered, you do not need to do it again. 

Help with registering and signing-in (mygov.scot).

You can save the form at any time by selecting Save at the bottom of any page of the form. 

You'll then get an email with a link to your saved draft.

You can also access the saved draft from the 'Requests' tab on the MyAccount home page.

We recommend you also keep a version of your application in a separate document. This is in case there are any connection issues while you are filling out the form and it’s not saved or submitted. 

You’ll also need to complete and return an equalities monitoring form with your application. 
 

If you need help to apply or you need an application form in a different format, email chef-enquiries@renfrewshire.gov.uk. 

If you need to contact us about your application, email us at chef-enquiries@renfrewshire.gov.uk. 

How we make a decision

We’ll assess your application based on the criteria for the fund. 
We’ll email you on Tuesday 30 September 2025 to let you know our decision.    

How we pay the grant

If we award you a grant, we will pay this into your nominated bank account. 

This is usually a first instalment of 80% of the grant and a second and final instalment of the remaining 20%.

Conditions of the grant

Your project can run for any length of time, but it must be delivered between 1 October 2025 and 14 March 2028.

If you are not awarded a grant

If you’re not awarded a grant, you can ask for feedback on your application at chef-enquiries@renfrewshire.gov.uk. 

However, the decision is final, and unsuccessful applications will not be reviewed or reconsidered.

If you want more information about the fund or help with your application, email us at chef-enquiries@renfrewshire.gov.uk. 

The Town Centre Regeneration Fund is a grant to help bring vacant, underused or derelict properties in Renfrewshire’s town centres back into use.

Specifically, it’s for where redevelopment of a significant local building or site has stalled because:

• there is a funding gap
• the cost of construction work or supplies has gone up
• restoring older buildings is complex and can require specialist skills
• economic downturns or shifts in demand can impact a project’s viability.

To qualify for funding, you must have legal ownership of the property or site, or a long-term leasehold interest (a minimum 10 years).

Your property must be:

• located in a town centre in Renfrewshire
• currently vacant, underused, or derelict
• of strategic importance including, for example, has heritage value, is prominent, or has high visibility
• potential to stimulate wider regeneration and growth in the locality.

There must be no outstanding legal disputes or legal issues with the premises or site that would delay redevelopment.

The Town Centre Regeneration Fund is provided as Minimal Financial Assistance (MFA) under the UK Subsidy Control Act 2022, and applicants may be required to confirm that total MFA received does not exceed £315,000 over the current and previous 2 financial years.

To be eligible for the Town Centre Regeneration Fund, applicants who are employers must be Fair Work First employers. Read more guidance on Fair Work First (gov.scot PDF). 

Your project proposal must aim to bring the property or site back into viable and productive use.

This could include commercial, cultural, community, residential, or mixed-use developments, providing they comply with the relevant planning policies.

The grant should be used for a substantive programme of works which might include:

• preparatory works
  • site clearance or demolition of non-heritage structures
  • temporary works to stabilise or secure a building
  • asbestos removal or treatment of contaminated land.
  • essential structural repairs to make the building safe or usable
• physical works
  • roof repairs or replacements
  • external fabric repairs, including windows, masonry, or facades
  • internal adaptations or refurbishments to change how the place will be used
• heritage and conservation works
  • restoration of historically significant architectural features
  • work to comply with conservation or listed building consents
  • sensitive adaptations to allow modern use while retaining heritage value
• accessibility and compliance  
  • improvements to meet building regulations like fire safety, accessibility, or energy efficiency
  • installation of ramps, lifts, or accessible toilets
• project management and oversight
  • reasonable project management or contract administration costs. 

What you cannot use it for

You cannot use the funding for:

• buying or renting land or property
• marketing and promotional costs
• general maintenance not linked to redevelopment
• VAT (unless it is non-recoverable)
• feasibility studies and option appraisals
• professional fees relating to design for example the costs for architects, engineers, surveyors, or planning consultants
• planning application and building consent fees.

Information you need to provide

Your proposal should show how it will:

• contribute to local economic growth – for example, job creation or increased footfall
• enhance the vitality and attractiveness of the town centre or local area
• encourage sustainable neighbourhoods, sustainable links, or enhancements to greenspace
• align with local regeneration strategies and community priorities.

You need to have:

• a deliverable project with detailed designs that are fully costed
• a robust and realistic delivery plan and timeline, which can begin within 12 months of you getting the grant
• the relevant planning or building warrant permissions or confirmation that you intend to apply for consents.

You need to provide evidence:

• of any market failure which has prevented redevelopment to date
• of actions taken so far to try to bring the building back into reuse
• that without public sector intervention, the project cannot go ahead due to a funding gap or issues affecting commercial viability, such as high remediation costs related to contamination, high land values, or construction costs.

You must explain how you will use the funding, including:

• a detailed breakdown of costs which will be covered by the grant
• how the amount you ask for is proportionate to the overall costs and impact
• how the project will demonstrate best value for money if it receives funding.

We'll review premises and sites in each town centre, produce a list of priority target buildings, and engage with property owners and interested parties to make them aware of the fund.

However, you can make an expression of interest if you are considering applying for the fund. 

You do not need to be designated as a priority building to make an application. 

We'll accept expressions of interest from any town centre property that meets the eligibility criteria.

Submit an expression of interest

If you’d like more information about grants from the Town Centre Regeneration Fund, email us at regenerationandplace@renfrewshire.gov.uk.

Once we have your expressions of interest, officers will engage with you to discuss the regeneration plans and assess whether these align with the investment criteria of the fund. Expressions of interest applications will be formerly scored by officers.

You must meet a minimum scoring requirement to be considered for a grant.

If we think your project aligns with the aims of the fund, we’ll work with you to determine how much funding you need and if it represents best value for money for the fund.

The deadline for submitting full applications for the first round of funding is Tuesday 1 September 2026.

If your expression of interest application is successful

If you are invited to make a full Town Centre Regeneration Fund application, you will be asked to provide the following:

• detailed specification of works, including technical drawings
• description of how the project will be managed - and who the design team are - including an outline of the strategy for the appointment of contractor(s)
• detailed budget showing income and expenditure, including contingencies
• detailed timeline for implementation of works, including timeline for securing any necessary consents
• risk register, listing project risks and mitigation strategies
• a copy of your Business Plan or equivalent (if applicable), including an explanation of how the proposed project helps fulfil it
• an explanation of how the project meets the 4 TCF outcomes:
  • how will your project contribute to local economic growth – for example, job creation or increased footfall (250 words)
  • how will your project enhance the vitality and attractiveness of the town centre or local area (250 words)
  • how will your project encourage sustainable neighbourhoods, sustainable links, or enhancements to greenspace (250 words)
  • how will your project align with local regeneration strategies and community priorities (250 words).

How we make a decision

We’ll prioritise projects that preserve or sensitively adapt heritage or listed structures or have a prominent location within a town centre.

We’ll also prioritise projects that can:

• match fund or co-invest from the private sector or other public sources
• attract additional economic activity or investment due to the funding you’re awarded.

Provisional approval  

If we approve your application on principle, we'll make a provisional offer setting out the:

• conditions of the grant
• potential amount of money you could get. 

Conditions of the grant

We cannot award the grant until you've met all the conditions of the offer.

Before any grant funding is released, you must have:

• all the relevant planning permissions or building consent, in line with the approved grant scheme
• a project delivery team in place including a main contractor, project manager and other key people for the project
• enough money to be able to pay contractors in full before they start any work.

How we pay the grant

We’ll pay the grant as works have been completed to a satisfactory standard, following an inspection by us, and you have sent us:

• proof of payment to the contractor by bank or building society transfer (BACS)
• the receipted invoice from the contractor or contractors doing the work
• evidence of all necessary planning permissions or building consent, or written confirmation that these are not needed.

We'll make the payments to your nominated bank or building society account.  

We cannot award the grant for cash payments to suppliers or contractors.  

We can make interim / stage payments in arrears towards the project. This will not be more than 90% of your grant. If you need a building warrant for the work, we will pay the final 10% of the grant when we get a completion certificate from you.

If you’d like more information about grants from the Town Centre Regeneration Fund, email us at regenerationandplace@renfrewshire.gov.uk.

If you have an electric vehicle but do not have off-street parking, you could get a grant of up to £3,500 to safely charge your vehicle without trailing cables across the pavement.

The grant can fund solutions such as charging gullies (cable channels in the pavement) and pop-up chargers. These would connect to your home charge point, which you must already have or be in the process of getting.

This grant is a pilot funded by the Scottish Government. Because the grant is a pilot, it may or may not be available in the future.

This grant contributes to Renfrewshire’s Plan for Net Zero by lowering transport carbon emissions.

You can apply for the grant if you:

• live in Renfrewshire
• have an electric vehicle
• have access to a home charge point (an electric vehicle charger) but do not have off-street parking.

The grant is funded by the Scottish Government and delivered by the Energy Saving Trust.

You should read about the grant on the Energy Saving Trust website before you apply. This is where you can find all the details about the grant.

1. Once you’ve read about the grant on the Energy Saving Trust website, you should get a quote from an installer to use as evidence of how much the work will cost.

2. Before applying for the grant, you must apply for a road opening permit through the council. This permit gives you our permission to do the work.

   You can apply for the permit yourself, but many people ask the installer who will be doing the work to include the cost of the permit in their quote.

   If your grant application is successful, then part of the grant will go to you or the installer (whoever paid for the permit) to cover the cost of the permit. If your grant application is not successful, then you will not be able to get a refund for the permit cost.

   Apply for a road opening permit

3. Once you have a quote and a permit, then you can apply for the grant.

   Apply for the cross-pavement charging grant (Energy Saving Trust website)

Applications for this grant are now closed.

The grant is delivered by the Energy Saving Trust, not Renfrewshire Council.

The Energy Saving Trust will usually let you know the outcome of your application within 8 working days.

Email the Energy Saving Trust at crosspavementgrant@est.org.uk if you have any questions about the grant.