More support for crofters

Scotland’s crofters will get help with high energy costs through new grant funding to improve the energy efficiency of their homes.

Through an extension to the Scottish Government's Croft House Grant, crofters can now apply for grants of up to £38,000 towards the costs of home improvements which will help them save energy - such as loft or wall insulation, new zero direct emissions heating systems or upgraded windows and doors.

The grant scheme supports crofters to improve their homes, or build new homes - allowing them to maximise the full potential of their crofts and to retain and attract people to remote and rural communities.

Over the past year, the Scottish Government has awarded over £1 million in grant funding to help crofters across Scotland build and improve their homes.

Minister for Energy and the Environment Gillian Martin said:

“The climate emergency and energy crisis has highlighted the need for energy efficiency improvements to existing housing stocks. There are approximately 21,400 crofts in Scotland, and many of these have existing houses which have not been built to the high energy efficiency standards required today.

“Crofting plays such an important part in the long-term sustainability of our rural and island areas. And crofters in remote and rural areas are disproportionately affected by high energy costs and the cost of living. Until now the UK Government has provided no targeted to these households and businesses, who need it the most.

“At a time when costs are rising, I hope that the introduction of energy efficiency measures to the Croft House Grant will help support people to continue to live and work in these remote and often fragile communities.

“This government has a track record of investing to improve croft housing. Since January 2007, over £24.4 million in Croft House Grant payments have helped to build and improve over 1,100 croft homes.”

Background

Croft House Grant (ruralpayments.org)

In the National Development Plan for Crofting, published in March 2021, the Scottish Government committed to continuing to invest in works that improve the energy efficiency of current and future croft homes.