Cycle Access Fund strand 3: Recycle FAQs
- What is the Cycle Access Fund – Recycle strand?
- Who is eligible to apply for the Cycle Access Fund – Recycle strand?
- How does the funding work?
- How do we report on the bikes that are handed over?
- Do we need to ask for benefit letters or proof of income to allow people to access the scheme?
- How do we identify people who are struggling financially to benefit from the scheme?
- Can we use Cycle Access Fund to buy essential cycling accessories like helmets, lock and lights?
- Can we include a voucher for servicing as part of the Cycle Access Fund package?
1. What is the Cycle Access Fund – Recycle strand?
The Cycle Access Fund – Recycle strand is aimed at helping people that are financially struggling to get a bike and start cycling. Grant recipients will give refurbished bikes, and accessories where applicable, up to the value of £250 to people who would have been unable to afford the costs of a bike.
These bikes should be purchased for everyday journeys but can also be used for leisure and cycling for health.
2. Who is eligible to apply for the Cycle Access Fund – Recycle strand?
The fund is open to bike repair organisations and bike recycling centres. In 2024-25 we are funded to work in specific regions of Scotland, not the whole country. You can check your local authority here.
Organisations whose registered address is in one of the following local authorities are eligible to apply:
- Aberdeen City
- Aberdeenshire
- Argyll and Bute (only Helensburgh and Lomond District)
- City of Edinburgh
- Clackmannanshire
- East Ayrshire
- East Dunbartonshire
- East Lothian
- East Renfrewshire
- Falkirk
- Fife
- Glasgow
- Inverclyde
- Midlothian
- North Ayrshire
- North Lanarkshire
- Renfrewshire
- Scottish Borders
- Shetland Islands
- South Ayrshire
- South Lanarkshire
- West Dunbartonshire
- West Lothian
3. How does the funding work?
You may apply for funding of up to £2,000 to be used for the purchase of recycled bikes and accessories where applicable for Cycle Access Fund participants. When you have spent and reported on 75% of that funding you will be able to apply for further funding. We will fund up to £250 per bike and accessories package, where applicable.
4. How do we report on the bikes that are handed over?
We will ask you to fill in a monitoring form for each bike that you hand over to someone in your community. This form will ask for details of the bikes and any accessories such as helmets, locks or lights that you have given away, including the work that you’ve done to them to get the bikes ready to sell and justify the cost.
It is important that these forms are returned as soon as possible and definitely within five working days of each handover. This will allow us to track how you are spending your funding and to start monitoring the bikes’ use with each new owner.
We will send you a fortnightly digest of your spend and check in with you monthly to see how many bikes have been allocated.
5. Do we need to ask for benefit letters or proof of income to allow people to access the scheme?
No, this scheme does not use means testing and people do not need to provide any proof of income to get a bike through the Cycle Access Fund. You will know your community and your customers better than we will, so we accept your professional judgement.
If you have pre-existing relationships with community organisations that you know support people that are financially struggling that can be a good way of ensuring that cycles reach people that really need them. Please get in touch to discuss and we may be able to link you up with suitable community organisations in your area.
6. How do we identify people who are struggling financially to benefit from the scheme?
Successful grant applicants will be able to demonstrate in their applications that they have thought about this. We have found that the most successful bike recycling partners either already support people who are struggling financially or have good links in their communities with organisations who support people who are struggling financially.
Maybe someone comes in for a repair on a really poor-quality bike and tells you that they cannot afford the costs of the repairs. The Cycle Access Fund can be used to swap out their old bike and replace with a better one.
Maybe someone is trying to replace a stolen bike but having to buy a poorer-quality replacement because they don’t have the money available. Maybe someone comes in looking for a commuter bike but is shopping at the lowest price point.
Maybe someone who has recently attended some training intends to cycle for transport but doesn’t have their own bike. Maybe someone who has attended led rides with your project doesn’t have their own bike.
This list is not exhaustive, just a few suggestions to get you thinking about people that you might be working with.
7. Can we use Cycle Access Fund to buy essential cycling accessories such as helmets, lock and lights?
You may include cycling accessories along with a bike where requested. Cycle Access Fund may not be used to provide a package of bike and accessories over £250.
8. Can we include a voucher for servicing as part of the Cycle Access Fund package?
If you can include the cost of a service within the budget of £250 then please do. If you are including a service with the bike, please add this as an accessory in the monitoring form.
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