Care & Repair Group Charitable Fund

Aberdeen Care & Repair Group Charitable Fund is a Registered Charity (Reg. No. SC015306). The charity raises funding to help support the Service, which in turn assists older people and people with a disability or long-term health condition to remain living independently within their own home and community.

To do this using the funds from the Charity, the service can:

• Provide small grants to cover the costs of essential repairs to the home for clients on low fixed incomes.
• Manage various small grant funds for specific purposes.
• Support the service’s Early Intervention work by providing safety, security and dementia-friendly equipment free of charge to those most vulnerable.
• Support the development/inclusion of additional support services for people living with mental health or dementia.

All grants awarded have set criteria and a financial limit for each fund which can be approved by individual staff members. Anything out-with these criteria must be presented to the Management Committee for approval, as per the hardship grants allocation guidance.

During the year 24/25 a total of 336 households received support through the charity at a cost to the charity of £86,478.95 but this investment enabled £207,665.40 of work to be carried out for vulnerable households in Aberdeen City.

The charity is comprised of different funds, each targeting a specific purpose. A list of these funds is below:

• Hardship Fund
• Cost of Living Fund
• Decoration Fund
• Electrical Safety Fund
• Energy Efficiency Fund
• Equipment Fund
• Gas Boiler Fund
• Home Safe Fund
• Minor Aids Fund
• Safety & Security Fund
• Support for Carers/ Disabled Children/ Young Adults
• Gas Safe – funded by Foundations Independent Living Trust
• Electrical Safety Home Improvement Fund – funded by Electrical Safety First

There is a maximum grant that can be awarded for each fund and individuals must meet set criteria as laid out in the initiative funds allocation guidance (link to this doc, in folder).

There can only be 1 application per person, per financial year. The Project Officers decision will be final.

Group funds will be used to help as many people as possible within Aberdeen City.

Priority given to:

• Cases where lack of repair will lead to serious risk to health and/or safety.
• Cases where the client is likely to suffer hardship unless financial help is given.

Annual accounts can be viewed here (link to forms and documents page). All funds raised are fully invested in the charity’s purpose, and service staff provide the management and administration of the charity.

Supporting Charities

The charitable fund is supported by the generosity of numerous donors in the city. Over the last 12 months the following charities and trusts have supported the Care & Repair Group Charitable Fund:

• Health Improvement Fund (Aberdeen Health & Social Care Partnership)
• Aberdeen Solicitor’s Property Centre (ASPC) 
• The John Gordon Charitable Trust
• Miss Violet M Lessel’s Trust
• Mrs Elizabeth Wilson’s Trust
• Trades Widows Fund (Seven Trades of Aberdeen) 
• The Thomas Primrose Trust
• Caroline Jane Spence Fund
• Foundations Independent Living Trust
• Electrical Safety Council
• The George Crombie Trust