Economic condition of crofting: 2019 to 2022
This is a report to the Scottish Parliament as outlined in the terms of section 51 of the Crofting Reform (Scotland) Act 2010, reflecting the economic condition of crofting and the measures taken by the Scottish Ministers, the Crofting Commission and others to support crofting during 2019 to 2022.
10. Croft House Grant Scheme
10.1. The Croft House Grant (CHG), which was launched in 2016, is a Scottish Government scheme that provides grants to active tenant crofters and owner-occupier crofters to help them build and improve their main crofter residence.
10.2. The scheme provides grants of up to £38k, with the aim of attracting and retaining people within the crofting areas of Scotland, and helping them to achieve the full potential of their crofts while generating economic activity. Across the crofting counties, over 158[5] croft houses have been built or improved during this reporting period.
10.3. A formal selection mechanism was introduced in response to a public consultation, which allows the Scottish Government to prioritise delivery of funding support to those most in need and to those who would not be able to build or improve their home without grant support.
| Year | Eligible Applications | % Approved | Value Approved | Value Spent | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Received | Approved | ||||
| 2018-19[6] | 13 | 9 | 69% | £0.292m | £210,630 |
| 2019-20 | 65 | 53 | 82% | £1.757m | £1,183,846 |
| 2020-21 | 50 | 39 | 78% | £1.183m | £1,392,377 |
| 2021-22 | 56 | 41 | 73% | £1.193m | £924,060 |
| 2022-23[7] | 30 | 22 | 73% | £0.664m | £1,053,580 |
10.4. Funding under the CHG is provided retrospectively in up to three stages. For this reason, funding committed in any financial year can be claimed by applicants and paid in both the current and following two to three financial years.
10.5. Officials continually monitor the scheme and have carried out an annual review in each year of the reporting period to ensure that all checks and balances remain reasonable, that assessment of applications stand up to scrutiny and offer a sufficient degree of flexibility. The Scottish Government has a track record of investing in croft housing since 1912. Since January 2007, the Scottish Government has approved grant payments of over £24 million, helping to build and improve over 1,090 croft homes.
Contact
Email: Aileen.Rore@gov.scot
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