Croft House Grant Scheme (CHGS)

CHGS is a grant only scheme which provides assistance to crofters to build or improve their home on the croft. The assistance is geographically targeted (view map as jpg or pdf) and the areas are defined by post code (click here to view list).

The scheme offers grant only assistance to the crofter by priority area as detailed below.

 

Example of house improvements: If your improvements are costing £30,000 and your croft is in a standard priority area then your CHGS grant will be £9,000 (30% of £30,000) should your application be successful.

General Guidance relating to the scheme is available in our guidance book (click to view guidance) and the relevant application form (click to view application). Please find below some of the criteria for eligibility and for refusal. Please note these are not exhaustive lists but can be used as a general guide. We advise that you apply providing as much detail in your form as possible as each case is judged on it’s individual merits.

The criteria below will help you to determine your circumstances are within the scope of the scheme. You are advised however to submit and application in any case to allow the Scheme to make an assessment.

You must be one of the following:
 

• a crofting tenant or
• an owner occupier of a croft, which was acquired from the landlord within the last 7 years or
• a cottar or
• a Kyles crofter
   

And you must be inadequately housed because:
 

• your present accommodation does not provide sufficient accommodation for you and your immediate family or
• your present accommodation does not meet an adequate standard or
• you currently live with parents, are at least 21 years old, and can show you have worked the croft for at least 2 years or 
• in need of a house on the croft because:
• you currently live more than 10 miles away or
• the type of agricultural activities requires your constant presence on the croft or
• the needs of an existing business, require you to live on the croft or
• you currently live in a council house (or other tenancy).
   

The following points should also be noted:
 

• Work must not start on the project until you receive written approval to do so from the Scheme
• The assisted house must become your main residence; the scheme does not provide assistance for second homes
• You must intend to work the croft
• Approval for assistance under the Croft House Grant Scheme should be in place prior to any decrofting direction being sought from the Crofters Commission in Inverness. Decrofting of a house site is essentially taking the land out of crofting tenure which may make you ineligible for CHGS assistance.
   

Guidance booklets and application forms can be obtained from our forms and leaflets page or the following sources:-
 

Click here to view list of local area offices of Scottish Government Rural Payments and Inspections Directorate (SGRPID).