HES’s annual grants report, published today (Wednesday 11 June) as part of Scotland’s Historic Environment Forum, shows a significant increase in support for projects in Scotland’s most deprived areas.
Investment through HES grant programmes in areas in the most deprived quintile of Scottish Index of Multiple Deprivation (SIMD) account for 20% (20.9%) of the total £12.4 million funding package administered by the public body.
The SIMD is the Scottish Government’s standard approach to measuring deprivation and looks at the extent to which an area is deprived across multiple domains, including income and employment.
£2.5 million of HES’s grant funding for 2024-25 was awarded to projects in the most deprived 20% SIMD, beating the previous figure of 6.34% by a significant margin. This figure surpasses previous years and speaks to HES’s Heritage for All vision set out in its new Corporate Plan 2025-28.
HES is committed to using insights from its annual grants report to refine and enhance its funding approach, promoting greater transparency and helping the organisation’s ambition to achieve equitable grant distribution.
The most popular type of grant awarded to these areas was HES’s express grants (up to £25,000). These grants are open to applications year-round with a target ten-week turnaround period. This programme of funding is vital for communities to be able to repair, care for and cherish their historic environment.
Projects successfully awarded express grants in the past year include the Whithorn and the Machars Pilot Archaeology Field School (hero image), where 51 pupils worked on excavating in one of the de-turfed areas of Sinniness, and the community of Luing and surrounding areas where a HES express grant funded guided tours, art demonstrations, multilingual song and more, all in celebration of Luing’s slate heritage past and its future.
With in-house experts on everything from traditional thatching to archaeological fieldwork, HES offers bespoke advice and works closely with projects to establish early success. This is vital for building confidence in new entrants who have not worked with the historic environment before and helps set them up for further success with more ambitious projects that may be eligible for larger grants.
Almost 50% of the overall funding (48.49%) went towards area-based regeneration schemes, including the successful Heritage and Place Programme which funds community-led regeneration projects.
In the past year the programme has celebrated projects such as the revitalisation of Granton Waterfront in Edinburgh, the development of a state-of-the-art heritage quarter in Forres, and more. These projects demonstrate how investment in heritage can help support local economies and enrich communities’ sense of place.
Alison Turnbull, Director of External Relations and Partnerships, said: “For too long, heritage funding has mirrored the inequalities we see in wider society. Our ‘Heritage for All’ vision means we seek to allocate our grants equitably to ensure our historic environment belongs to everyone.
“By working with communities in the most deprived SIMD quintile, we increase the diversity of voices and projects in the historic environment. We are committed to supporting projects that include a wide variety of people in decision-making about their heritage.
“We encourage new entrants to heritage projects in particular to reach out and learn how we can help you engage with and look after the heritage in your community.”
Culture Secretary Angus Robertson said: “This report highlights the real impact that investment in our historic environment can have in addressing inequalities and supporting regeneration in communities that need it most.
“By targeting funding towards the most deprived areas, Historic Environment Scotland is helping to unlock opportunities, support skills development and bring people together through a shared connection to place and heritage.
“This level of progress is welcome and reaffirms the commitment to ensuring that our historic environment is accessible, inclusive and benefits everyone across Scotland.”
