Individual

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.

Expression of Interest (EOI) form

You do not need to be designated as a priority building to make an application – we will accept EOIs from any town centre properties that meet the eligibility criteria.  

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

Funding will be offered on a first come first served basis to applicants who meet the minimum scoring requirement.  

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.

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

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.

You can ask the council to help with care home costs once you’ve spoken to a social worker and you’re either:

• moving into a care home (private or council)
• already living in a care home and your financial circumstances have changed.

To start the process, you’ll need to submit a form asking us to assess your finances, including income, savings, and property.

After the assessment, we’ll be able to tell you:

• how much we’ll contribute to your care home costs
• how much you’ll need to contribute to your care home costs.

Either of these people can submit the form:

• the person moving into care
• a representative of the person moving into care, such as a family member, friend, solicitor, or someone with power of attorney.

You can submit the form after:

• a social worker has arranged a long-term care placement and has mentioned the need for a financial assessment (if the person is in short-term or respite care, please speak to your social worker before filling in the form)
• you or the person you represent has been asked to complete a reassessment due to a change in financial circumstances (the council, the care home, or another relevant party might ask you to do this, or you can choose to do this yourself if you think we should reassess your finances).

If you (the person entering care) have capital (savings, property, or other assets) over £35,500, you are not eligible for this funding, and you’ll need to pay the full cost of your care. However, you can still submit the form, and we can:

• contribute towards personal care or nursing care, if you’re eligible for these (learn about free personal and nursing care on the Scottish Government website)
• finish the financial assessment later if your capital falls below £35,500.

If you were previously funding your own care and we’ve since approved you for council funding, we’ll normally apply backdated payments from either of these dates, whichever is later:

• the date you submitted the form asking us for a financial assessment
• the date your capital fell below £35,500.

You’ll need to provide this information when filling in the form:

• details of all income, including any pensions, benefits, or annuities
• details of all savings and investments, including bank balances, ISAs, shares, and bonds
• information about any property owned, including jointly owned properties, and who lives there.

If you were previously paying for your own care and your capital has fallen below £35,500, you’ll need this additional information when filling in the form:

• paperwork about any properties sold after entering long-term care
• evidence of any gifting, money or property transfers, or large purchases (this includes any weekly spending over £50).

Before you ask for an assessment, read this additional information if you own a home.

Ask for a financial assessment

We can help if you:

• have any questions about care home funding
• are not sure how to answer a question on the form
• do not have all the paperwork we’re asking for.

Contact us by either:

• phone 0300 300 0211
• email cpnursingresidential@renfrewshire.gov.uk.

If you’re not sure what to do, you can still submit the form without all the required information, and we’ll contact you to talk about anything that’s missing. You can submit the additional information later, either on your own or with our help.

We’ll review the information you provided and aim to contact within 7 to 10 days. We’ll let you know if we need more information from you to finish the assessment.

If we approve you for funding, we’ll send you a letter that says:

• how much we’ll contribute to your care home costs
• how much you’ll need to contribute to your care home costs.

If you’re funding your own care because your capital is over £35,500, the letter will confirm if you’re entitled to either:

• free personal care
• free personal and nursing care.

If your financial circumstances change, you should submit a new form to ask for a reassessment.

Additional information if you own a home

Your home’s value

In most cases, we’ll look at the value of your home in the financial assessment. However, we might exclude it from the assessment if one of these people are still living in the home:

• a spouse or partner
• a child under the age of 18 who is financially dependent on the person who is moving into care
• a close relative (usually a child or sibling) over the age of 60
• a close relative who is incapacitated (we’ll ask you for evidence to support this).

12-week property disregard

When assessing your finances, we may discuss a 12-week property disregard with you if:

• you own a home
• your capital is below £35,500 when you move into long-term care.

A 12-week property disregard means we would not include the value of your home in the financial assessment for the first 12 weeks after you move into long-term care. During these 12 weeks, the amounts you and the council contribute to your care home costs would be based on your other capital.

This is to give you time to consider important financial decisions, including whether to sell the property or seek financial advice.

Charging order

If you do not sell your property within the 12-week property disregard, we may be able to offer you additional temporary funding through a charging order secured against your property.

A charging order means we would continue to pay a contribution towards your care home costs until the property is sold.

There is a legal fee of £420 to set up a charging order, payable when the property is sold.

Once the property is sold, we would recover our additional temporary funding from the proceeds of the property sale. The amount we would recover includes funding we provided only after the end of the 12-week property disregard, not funding we provided during the property disregard.  

The solicitor handling the sale will liaise with our legal team to arrange for the charging order to end once we receive our payment. We’ll only get back any contribution we paid towards your care home costs, not any personal or nursing care funding you received during this time.

Council tenants have a right for certain repairs to be done under the Right to Repair scheme. 

The scheme covers certain repairs that cost less than £350 and aim to be done in a certain timescale. These are called 'qualifying' repairs.

When you report a housing repair, we’ll tell you

• if it’s the council's responsibility to repair it
• if it qualifies under the Right to repair scheme
• how long it should take
• what your rights under the Right to Repair scheme, including the process for using an alternative contractor.

We’ll then arrange an appointment with you to do the repair.

The RIght to Repair Scheme only applies to council tenants.

The times below show the maximum number of working days from the day after you report a qualifying repair or inspection. 

It does not include weekends or public holidays.

Emergency repairs done or inspected within 1 day

This includes:

• blocked chimney flue to an open fire or boiler
• blocked, leaking, or smelly drains; external waste pipes; or the toilet bowl if this is the only toilet in your house
• blocked sink; bath; or drain
• loss of electric power
• insecure external window; door; or lock
• unsafe access path or step
• significant leaks or flooding from water or heating pipes; tanks; or cisterns
• loss or partial loss of gas supply 
  loss or partial loss of water heating, or heating from appliances for specific areas, where there are not any other ways to heat your home
• the toilet will not flush and there’s no other toilet in the house
• unsafe power of lighting socket or electrical fitting
• loss of water supply.

Urgent repairs done or inspected within 3 working days

This includes:

• partial loss of electric power
• partial loss of water supply
• loose or detached banister or handrail
• unsafe  timber flooring or the steps on your staircase.

Routine repairs done within 7 working days

This includes the repair or replacement of a mechanical extractor fan in internal kitchen or bathroom.

Most other routine repairs are done within 15 days of you reporting it to us, but it will depend on what the issue is.

What the Right to Repair Scheme does not include

The Right to Repair scheme does not cover all repairs.

It does not apply when:

• the defect or damage has been caused by a breach of your tenancy conditions, such as deliberate damage
• the repair is delayed for other reasons, like needing to order spare parts or we need another contractor for the job
• the repair is not the council's responsibility
• the repair belongs to the shared parts of a building
• the repair will cost more than £350. 

See what repairs and maintenance we do and what are your responsibilities as a council tenant.

In most cases, our building services will do the repair. 

If we need to order parts or materials for the repair, it may not be done within the standard time. If this is the case, we’ll let you know when it should be finished.

Repair times may also vary if the weather is bad. For safety reasons, we cannot go onto a roof in the dark, during high winds, or when it is raining. 

If a repair is delayed because of bad weather, we will let you know when it will be done.

If we do not start the repair within the set timescale, you have the right to arrange an alternative contractor from our approved list of contractors to carry out the repair. You cannot use a contractor who is not on the Council’s approved list.

If we do not do the repair within the qualifying time, you have the right to ask our backup contractor CGC to do the repair.

Their contact details are:
CGC
Unit 3, Imperial Park
West Avenue Inwood
PA1 2FB
0141 561 6500

Report a housing repair

You can also report a housing repair by:

• phone 0300 300 0300
• email repairs@renfrewshire.gov.uk.

If for any reason you are not satisfied with the service you have received, you can let us know by 

• reporting it online
• phone 0300 300 0300
• email repairs@renfrewshire.gov.uk  

We can normally solve problems quickly and easily at this stage.

However, if you are still unhappy with our service, you can make a formal complaint to us.

We will investigate your complaint and, where appropriate, correct the problem and and let you know the outcome.

If we do not carry out the repair within the set timescale, you may be entitled to compensation.

If we fail to carry out a qualifying repair within the maximum time allowed, you will be entitled to £15 compensation. 

You will then be entitled to a further £3 per day for every day the repair remains outstanding, up to a maximum of £100.

Any payment will be made automatically. You do not need to make a claim.

You can find out more about the Right to Repair scheme on the Scottish Government website.

You could be eligible for a Discretionary Housing Payment (DHP) if you cannot cover your rent or housing costs because of the Benefit Cap.

The Benefit Cap is the limit on the total amount in benefits that most working-age people can claim. It applies to all the benefits your household gets.

The current benefit caps are:

• £423.46 per week if you're in a couple
• £423.46 per week if you're a single parent and your children live with you
• £283.71 per week if you're a single adult.

You can get the financial support if you: 

• are affected by the benefit cap
• cannot cover your rent or housing costs.

In your application, you'll need to tell us your:

• full name
• date of birth
• National Insurance (NI) number
• contact phone number
• email address.

We'll also need the bank or building society details to make the payment, including the:

• account holder's title and name
• sort code
• account number.

Apply for a Discretionary Housing Payment (DHP)

We'll send you a confirmation email with a case reference number.

We'll then check of the details you've provided and contact you if we need any more information. We aim to process your application within one month. 

If you're eligible, we'll let you know by email or letter that you'll get the Discretionary Housing Payment. 

We will pay it monthly directly to the bank account you have specified in your application form.

Ask us to review a decision

If we do not grant you a Discretionary Housing Payment, there is no right of appeal, but you can ask for the decision to be looked at again by a different Senior Assessor if you disagree with it. 

If you want to do this, write to the Benefits Service within 2 weeks of the date on the decision letter, stating why you think the decision is wrong. 

The postal address is:

Benefits Service
Renfrewshire Council
Renfrewshire House
Cotton Street
Paisley
PA1 1AD.

A Discretionary Housing Payment (DHP) is money to help if:

• you're temporarily struggling to pay your rent
• you do not have enough money to pay for a rental deposit, rent in advance or removal costs.

You do not have to pay a Discretionary Housing Payment back.

You cannot use a Discretionary Housing Payment:

• towards your Council Tax
• to pay for service charges not included in your rent
• if you do not have enough for rent because you're paying back an overpayment of Housing Benefit or Universal Credit housing costs.

You can only apply for a Discretionary Housing Payment if you:

• rent your home
• get Housing Benefit or the Housing Costs element of Universal Credit. These payments are not a type of housing benefit or Universal Credit housing cost.

They are extra payments made to help with housing costs like some or all of a rent shortfall over a few weeks or a new tenancy rent deposit.

If you get Housing Benefit or Universal Credit but it does not cover all your rent

If your Housing Benefit or Universal Credit housing costs are not enough to pay your rent temporarily, you could apply for a Discretionary Housing Payment. 

You could get a top-up for some or all of your housing benefit for a short-term period. 

If you have a non-dependant adult living with you

You may have a reduction in your Housing Benefit if someone who lives with you:

• is over 18
• is not in full time education
• is working
• claims benefits.

This is called a non-dependant deduction. 

If this means you temporarily cannot pay all of your rent, you could apply for a Discretionary Housing Payment. It could top-up some or all of your housing benefit for a short-term period.

If you need help with a deposit, rent advance or removal

You could get a Discretionary Housing Payment to help you move into a new home, if you can't pay one-off costs like a deposit, rent in advance or removal costs. 

If you're affected by the benefit cap

If the benefit cap means you cannot cover your rent or housing costs, you could be eligible for a Discretionary Housing Payment (DHP) to cover the reduction in your income.

More information about financial support if you're affected by the Benefit Cap.

If you're affected by Social Sector Size Criteria (bedroom tax)

If you already get Housing Benefit and you want a Discretionary Housing Payment due to the Social Sector Size Criteria, known as the 'bedroom tax', you'll get this automatically and you do not need to apply for it.

Another reason not listed above

If the reason you're applying for a Discretionary Housing Payment does not fit into any of the above categories, then you can apply for 'Any other reason'. 

You must tell us about the reason you need financial help to meet the gap between your Housing Benefit or Universal Credit housing costs and your rent.

Information you need to tell us on your application

You'll need to tell us:

• if you're a private, housing association or Renfrewshire Council tenant
• how much rent you pay and how often you pay it
• if you're behind in your rent
• if you get Housing Benefit or Universal Credit housing costs
• if you need an extra room for an overnight carer, a foster child or a severely disabled child who cannot share a room
• the reason you're applying for a Discretionary Housing Payment
• about your circumstances and your household
• your name, date of birth, National Insurance (NI) number, address and contact details
• anything else you have done to help your financial situation
• what you pay out every week (your weekly outgoings).

Weekly outgoings

We need to know the weekly outgoings for yourself, your partner, if you have one, and any children. 

If you're not sure how much you pay for them every week, you can enter daily, fortnightly, or monthly figures on the form to calculate how much something is weekly.

Outgoings can include:

• rent, council tax, gas, electricity, life, or home insurance
• TV licence, entertainment subscriptions, internet, home, or mobile phone
• childcare, school meals, school trips, family outings or kids' clubs
• medical or caring expenses
• food, clothing, cigarettes, or alcohol
• travel costs, petrol, car insurance or road tax
• loans, goods hired or bought on a payment plan, store credit cards, other outstanding debts
• any other weekly outgoings not listed above.

Enter 0 (zero) for anything you do not pay.

Savings and income

You'll need to tell us the amount of money or savings you and your partner, if you have one, have in your bank, building society or other accounts.

We'll also need to know the weekly income of your household, including the total amount of earned income in your household, and any other benefits or payments you get, like:

• Jobseekers Allowance, Income Support, Incapacity Benefit, Employment and Support Allowance
• Working Tax Credits, Child Tax Credit, Child Benefit, child, or spousal maintenance
• pensions or pension credit
• Attendance Allowance, Mobility Allowance, Carer's Allowance, Disability Living Allowance, Personal Independence Payment (PIP), Adult Disability Payment
• Universal Credit
• any other income not listed above.

If you're not sure how much household income you have each week, you can enter daily, fortnightly, or monthly figures on the form to calculate how much something is weekly.

With your consent, we can also check your entitlement to others benefits or grants.

Apply for a Discretionary Housing Payment (DHP)

You can tell us if you want to be contacted about your application by phone, email or letter.

How we make a decision

The budget for Discretionary Housing Payments is limited, so we cannot guarantee you'll get it.

We will consider the following when we make a decision:

• your household income
• if you have any savings
• if you or your family are ill or disabled
• if anyone else is living in the property who could help
• if there's any way of you rearranging your finances to improve your situation
• if you have any debts
• if the household could budget to afford some or all of the shortfall
• any other relevant information.

We'll let you know by phone, email or letter if you'll get a Discretionary Housing Payment or if we need more information before we make a decision.

How we pay Discretionary Housing Payment

If we give you a Discretionary Housing Payment, you can ask for it to be paid to either yourself or your landlord. 

If we're paying it to you, we'll need the details of the bank or building society account including the: 

• account holder's name
• name and address of the bank or building society
• sort code
• account number.

Ask us to review a decision

If we do not grant you a Discretionary Housing Payment, there is no right of appeal, but you can ask for the decision to be looked at again by a different Senior Assessor if you disagree with it. 

If you want to do this, write to the Benefits Service within two weeks of the date on the decision letter, stating why you think the decision is wrong. The postal address is:

Renfrewshire Council
Benefits Service
Renfrewshire House
Cotton Street
Paisley
PA1 1AD.

Discretionary Housing Payments are only a short-term solution to financial difficulties. 

If you think you'll have ongoing difficulties paying your rent, you should 

• speak to your landlord if you're a private tenant
• contact your Housing Association officer if you live in a Housing Association
• contact your local Neighbourhood services if you're a Council tenant.

If you get Housing Benefit or Universal Credit Housing Costs, you can also apply for Council Tax Reduction.

You may also be entitled to other benefits.

Depending on your circumstances and needs, you could apply for a crisis grant or a community care grant from the Scottish Welfare Fund.

If you need longer term financial help, our Advice Works team Advice or Renfrewshire Citizens Advice Bureau can help.

You may be able to get a discount on your council tax bill if you or someone living in your home is an apprentice or youth trainee.
 

Apprentice

To qualify as an apprentice, you must be:

• employed to learn a trade, business, profession, office role or vocation
• on a recognised course of training leading to a qualification recognised by the National Council for Vocational Qualifications or the Scottish Vocational Educational Council
• paid no more than £269 per week before taxes.

Youth trainee

To qualify as a youth trainee, you must be under 25 years old.

You must also be taking a relevant course under an individual training plan as defined by the Employment and Training Act 1973.

If you qualify as an apprentice or youth trainee, you could get:

• 25% council tax discount if you live with another adult
• 50% council tax discount if you live alone.

You'll need to apply for a discount if you're an apprentice or youth trainee, as you will not get it automatically.

You'll need to register for council tax before you can apply for a discount. 

Apprentices

You must provide a letter from your employer confirming your apprenticeship. This must include:

• your weekly income before taxes
• the type of apprenticeship
• qualifications to be achieved on completion
• the date when the apprenticeship started and the date when it will end.

Youth trainee

You must provide evidence confirming your age and a letter from the organisation or company supplying the training. This must include:

• the training course to be undertaken under the Employment and Training Act
• the date when the training started and the date it will end.

Apprentices

Apply for a council tax discount for an apprentice

Youth trainee

Apply for a council tax discount for a youth trainee

We'll let you know of our decision by email.

If your discount is confirmed, we'll send you a revised council tax notice.

You should continue to pay your council tax as normal until you have received a revised notice.

If you no longer qualify for a discount, you must tell us of your change in status.

We'll then update your council tax account and send you a new bill.

You may have to pay a fine if you do not tell us.

Get help with paying your council tax

If you think you may not be able to make your council tax payment, phone us on 0300 300 0300 and ask for advice. There may be support available to help you avoid missing your payments.