Historic Environment Repair Grant

1 Overview

Please note that the Historic Environment Repair Grant programme is now closed and we will not be accepting any new applications.

If you are interested in applying for a project involving any work or repairs to a historic environment asset, you will need to apply under our new Historic Environment Grants (HEG) programme which is scheduled to launch in March 2023. Find out more about HEG

If you have any questions about the HEG Programme or would like to be added to our distribution list to receive a notification e-mail once it is launched, please get in touch at grants@hes.scot.

2 Eligibility

Under this programme we expect to fund:

Not-for-profit organisations such as charitable trusts, local authorities or religious bodies;
Partnerships led by not-for-profit organisations

Applicant organisations must be formally constituted with a clear governance and financial structure and have their own bank account.

If you are applying as a partnership you will need to nominate a lead applicant. The lead applicant should provide a signed partnership agreement showing the involvement of each partner and how the project will be managed financially.

Private owners or commercial organisations are eligible to apply, but are not a priority for support under this grant programme. These applicants would need to demonstrate that wider benefits to the public significantly outweigh their private gain.

We can fund projects whereby the applicant organisation:

owns the heritage asset or;
holds a full repairing lease which has at least 21 years to run or;
in the case of an ancient monument, has the written permission of the owner to carry out conservation works on the monument;
in the case of a place of worship, has written permission of the governing body

We can fund projects which meet all of the following:

delivering conservation-standard repair works to significant historic assets
professional team including Conservation Accredited Professional Advisors (or Advanced Conservation Accredited Professional Advisors for A-listed buildings)
yet to begin
timetabled for five years or less
achieving one or more of our grant outcomes
not funded by a City Heritage Trust (as their funding is via HES grants)

Owners must insure and maintain the building, or agree to maintain the ancient monument, and allow an agreed level of access to the public in return for financial help.

HES grant intervention rate:

HES awards a grant based on a percentage of the total grant eligible costs, which will be determined in discussion with HES as part of the process of agreeing the repair scheme. Applicants are expected to maximise opportunities to secure match funding and should be aware of the following intervention rates which are normally used for different types of applicants:

Charities: normally a maximum of 40%
Local authorities: normally a maximum of 25%
Private owners: dependent upon financial circumstances, but normally a maximum of 33%

Fair Work First:

Fair Work First is the Scottish Government’s policy for driving high quality and fair work, and workforce diversity across the labour market in Scotland by applying conditions to public funding. All Fair Work First criteria should be applied wherever relevant to do so and in line with relevant guidance. The default position is that all grant recipients who are employees are required to pay at least the real Living Wage and provide effective workers’ voice as a minimum standard. Only in limited circumstances, outlined in guidance, may an exception to these conditions be applied.

From 1 July 2023, grant applicants and recipients of public funding will need to demonstrate that, where they employ staff, they are paying at least the real Living Wage before they will be able to be awarded a grant. All UK-based staff aged 16 and over, including apprentices, who are directly employed by the grantee, must be paid at least the real Living Wage; and any UK-based workers who are not directly employed but are directly engaged in delivering the grant-funded activity, whether they be subcontractors or agency staff, must also be paid at least the real Living Wage. We may apply limited exceptions to provide funding to organisations who cannot pay at least the real Living Wage in order that the measure is proportionate, as outlined in guidance.

In addition, grantees with a workforce must be able to demonstrate that all workers employed within that organisation have access to effective voice channel(s), including agency workers. We may apply flexibility to recognise the different forms of voice that are appropriate for different organisations, as outlined in Scottish Government guidance.

Before being awarded grant, the grantee will be required to evidence any Fair Work First commitment(s) to HES, including payment of at least the real Living Wage and provision for effective worker voice, and any non-mandatory criteria. Guidance on applying Fair Work First criteria is available to support grant makers and recipients. You must submit the Fair Work First Declaration (available to download from the Historic Environment Grants (HEG) Resources page), and any supporting evidence, to HES before we will be able to release any funds.

3 Eligible costs

We can fund:

historic fabric repair costs
traditional skills training for professional craftspeople and construction workers
fees for conservation accredited professional advisors
evaluation and maintenance planning costs
contingency
inflation allowance
non-recoverable VAT

We do not fund:

demolition
repair or installation of services
extension
alterations
internal works
routine maintenance
minor repairs

4 Application assessment

Historic Environment Repair Grant bids are assessed in competition with each other. We will assess how well your project achieves our grant outcomes (below), how well planned and deliverable it is and how you plan to sustain the scheme benefits in the longer term. We will assess the urgency and level of risk facing your heritage asset.

We will consider the overall value for money your project offers against all of these factors as well as the grant intervention level requested and the need for grant support. You should apply to us at outline design stage.

5 Outcomes

We assess how well your project will achieve our grant outcomes. In your application tell us in detail how your project will achieve one or more of our grant outcomes listed below:

HERITAGE AND SOCIETY: The historic environment makes a real difference to people’s lives

HERITAGE AND THE ENVIRONMENT: The historic environment is looked after, protected and managed for the generations to come

HERITAGE AND THE ECONOMY: The historic environment makes a broader contribution to the economy of Scotland and its people

HERITAGE AND CREATIVITY: The historic environment inspires a creative and vibrant Scotland

6 How to apply

Please note that the Historic Environment Repair Grant programme is now closed and we will not be accepting any new applications.

If you have any questions about the HEG Programme or would like to be added to our distribution list to receive a notification e-mail once it is launched, please get in touch at grants@hes.scot.

Applications

We will let you know if your application has been accepted for full assessment within three months of the application deadline. If your bid is accepted, we will work with you to agree appropriate conservation-standard repair works and associated traditional skills, evaluation and maintenance plans so that you and your professional advisors can incorporate these into your project design, programme and funding plans.

The following process is used to reach a final decision on your grant award:

Useful links

Projects which relate to repair work must be carried out in accordance with conservation best practice. You can find more about what we consider best practice in our Advisory Standards of Conservation and Repair.

Historic Environment Scotland is bound by the Freedom of Information (Scotland) Act. This means that any information that you send us or which is provided to help process your application may be made publicly available. However, any sensitive information you give us will be covered by the relevant legislation and will be dealt with accordingly.