Tag: Victim Surcharge Fund

Scotland’s criminals made to pay to support victims

Additional £1.1 million for people impacted by crime

More victims of crime are to receive support through a fund financed by penalties imposed on offenders.

More than £1.1 million from the Victim Surcharge Fund (VSF) will be shared among 12 organisations that support those impacted by crime.

Child victims, rape survivors and those who have suffered domestic abuse are among those who will receive support. This can include help with essentials like food and clothing, repairs for property damaged as a result of crime, and emotional support.

More than 5,000 people have already benefitted from the VSF since it was set up in 2019 and this fifth round of payments will mean hundreds more will receive support.

Under the scheme, offenders who receive a court fine after being convicted of a crime are charged an additional penalty – the victim surcharge. This is transferred to the VSF and distributed to organisations who support victims. Including this payment round, a total of £2,446,787 has been paid to 18 victim support organisations.

Victims Minister Siobhian Brown said: “The impact of crime on victims can be devastating – it can cause financial hardship, damage to property and ongoing trauma, and it is absolutely right that offenders should pay to support victims to recover.

“The Victim Surcharge Fund has already benefitted more than 5,000 victims and hundreds more will be supported with the distribution of more than £1.1 million in this latest round of payments.

“The Victim Surcharge Fund builds on the Scottish Government’s wider support for victims. We have invested £93 million to support victims in the past five years, while taking a series of other actions to ensure victims are placed at the heart of the justice system.

“This includes a significant package of reform proposed in the Victims, Witnesses, and Justice Reform Bill to ensure victims are treated with compassion and their voices are heard.”

Kate Wallace, Chief Executive of Victim Support Scotland, said: “This funding will be instrumental in expanding access to our Emergency Assistance Fund (EAF) to as many people impacted by crime as possible, helping them to rebuild their lives.  

“So far, we have supported thousands of people through the EAF, providing critical help to people who are in urgent need of financial aid – providing funding for things like emergency housing, security equipment, clothing and groceries. 

“With this new funding, we have the chance to reach even more people who have been affected by crime and explore options to develop our offering, including supporting access to mental health services. This funding will also benefit those supported by many of our specialist partner organisations, like Action Against Stalking and ASSIST.” 

Dot Horne, Director of 6VT Edinburgh City Youth Café, which supports young victims of crime through their Cairn service, said: “We are delighted to be successful recipients from this round of the Victim Surcharge Fund. This funding will allow us to respond quickly to the immediate, practical needs of children and young people affected by crime.

“Additionally, it provides an opportunity to offer financial support for victims to access positive activities that can help ease the difficult times that young people may be facing.”

The following organisations will benefit from the Victim Surcharge Fund in this round:

  • Victim Support Scotland                                              £850,000
  • Women’s Aid South Lanarkshire and East Renfrewshire      £31,800
  • Migrant Help                                                               £73,985
  • Dunbarton District Women’s Aid                                  £13,500
  • The Moira Fund                                                          £14,500
  • Survivors of Human Trafficking in Scotland)               £27,465
  • Jubilee House                                                            £10,000
  • Dundee Women’s Hub (Women’s Rape And Sexual Abuse Centre)    £10,000
  • 6VT Edinburgh City Youth Café                                   £5,000
  • Action Against Stalking                                               £16,000
  • Central Advocacy Partners                                         £5,000
  • AberNecessities                                                          £67,100
  • Total                                                                           £1,124,350

Eight organisations share Victim Surcharge Fund backing

Organisations that support victims of crime have been awarded a total of £405,451 from a fund financed by penalties imposed on offenders who received a court fine.

Eight organisations – including Victim Support Scotland, Dumbarton District Women’s Aid, Migrant Help, The  Moira Fund, The Manda Centre, Survivors of Human Trafficking in Scotland (SOHTiS), Action Against Stalking and Dundee Women’s Aid – will share the funding to provide practical help directly to victims.

This is the fourth round of payments from the Victim Surcharge Fund, which was established in November 2019, and takes the latest funding to £1,322,437.

Victims and Community Safety Minister Siobhian Brown said:  “I am pleased the fund has provided support to so many people.

“Since financial awards were first made in January 2021, 14 different victim support organisations have benefited from this fund –  all of which have used the money to help people impacted by crime.

“It is only right that the people who commit crimes should pay towards helping those impacted to recover from the trauma and move on with their lives.”

Kate Wallace, Chief Executive of Victim Support Scotland, said: “Funding to VSS Emergency Assistance Fund made it possible to reach more than 1,400 victims of crime and their families with awards last year totalling over £400,000.

“Too many people face financial hardship as a result of crime, and this funding allows us to cover the costs of essential items such as food vouchers, rent, property repairs, alarms and funeral costs.”

The following organisations are set to benefit from the Victim Surcharge Fund in this round:

Victim Support Scotland (VSS)                                                           £300,000

Dumbarton District Women’s Aid                                                          £11,750

Migrant Help                                                                                         £28,540

The Moira Fund                                                                                    £14,500

The Manda Centre                                                                                £10,000

Survivors of Human Trafficking in Scotland (SOHTIS)                         £20,661

Action Against Stalking                                                                         £15,000

Dundee Women’s Aid                                                                           £5,000

Victim Surcharge Fund opens

More help for victims as criminals pay towards costs

Organisations that support victims of crime will be able to bid for support from a fund financed by  penalties imposed on all offenders who receive a court fine.

Successful applicants will be able to use their share of the £350,000 Victim Surcharge Fund, which is now in its fourth year, to provide direct, practical help to victims. This includes repairing or replacing damaged items, providing replacement clothes for people escaping domestic abuse, or equipment that helps people impacted by crime feel safe.

Since its introduction in 2019, over £916,000 has been paid out to 11 organisations supporting victims and survivors of crime, including Victim Support Scotland, Angus Women’s Aid and the Manda Centre – which offers support to people affected by trauma, loss and personal crisis.

Minister for Victims and Community Safety Siobhian Brown said: “While there are less crimes and fewer victims than over a decade ago, the impact on victims, can be devastating.

“That is why we are investing in law enforcement, crime prevention, and reducing reoffending through a range of activity. And we have invested £93 million over the past five years to support victims and we are committed to putting victims at the heart of the justice system.

“It is right that convicted criminals pay for the harm they cause and the Victim Surcharge Fund has provided more than £916,000 to help support victims recover from their experience.

“I encourage victim support organisations to apply to the Fund so that victims and survivors can continue to access the support and help that they need.”

Victims’ organisations interested in applying to the Fund can request an application form by emailing VictimSurchargefund@gov.scot and should apply by the 27 October 2023 deadline.

£500,000 more support for Scottish victims’ organisations

Organisations supporting victims and survivors of crime in Scotland will receive a £500,000 boost from a fund that takes money from offenders.

Seven organisations – including Victim Support Scotland and Survivors of Human Trafficking in Scotland – will share grant funding to provide practical help directly to victims.

This includes paying for emergency housing costs, meeting food, utility and clothing expenses, and helping with costs to repair or replace damaged property or goods and for mental health services such as counselling. 

It is the third tranche of payments from the Victim Surcharge Fund – which comes from the additional penalties imposed on offenders who receive a court fine – since its introduction in 2019.

To date, the Fund has helped more than 1,200 people affected by crime, with around £917,000 awarded  – a clear sign of how the Scottish Government continues to prioritise victims.

Justice Secretary Keith Brown said: “It is absolutely right that criminals should pay towards helping victims of crime as they recover from their experience.

“Over the past five years we have invested £93 million through our justice budget to put victims’ rights and needs at the centre of the criminal justice system, demonstrating our commitment to putting victims first.

“This latest funding we are awarding from the Victim Surcharge Fund will help people impacted by crime to access support when they need it most while enabling organisations such as Victim Support Scotland and Survivors of Human Trafficking in Scotland to provide even more help to victims and their families.”

Kate Wallace, CEO of Victim Support Scotland (VSS) said: “Confirmation of this funding means that VSS can continue this vital and life-changing support to people affected by crime and who have no other means of financial support.

“The cost-of-living crisis has meant that more people affected by crime are struggling to make ends meet. Funding from the Victim Surcharge Fund allows VSS to provide essential items such as food vouchers, property repairs, alarms and funeral costs, thereby meeting the needs of vulnerable victims immediately following a crime.

“Since April 2020, VSS Emergency Assistance Fund has provided £903,000 worth of goods to 3,143 people and their families, funded in part through the Victim Surcharge Fund. We accept applications directly from people affected by crime and have received referrals from over 200 support organisations.

The following organisations are set to benefit from the Victim Surcharge Fund in 202:3

  • Victim Support Scotland (VSS) – £440,000
  • Edinburgh Women’s Aid – £25,559
  • Survivors of Human Trafficking in Scotland (SOHTIS) – £7,700
  • Central Advocacy Partners – £5,000
  • Women’s Rape and Sexual Abuse Centre Dundee & Angus – £10,000
  • Dumbarton District Women’s Aid – £10,000
  • Manda Centre – £5,000

Victim Surcharge Fund opened

More help for victims as criminals pay towards costs

The third application round of the Victim Surcharge Fund has now opened for bids from organisations that support victims of crime.

Anyone who commits a crime that results in a court fine is charged an additional penalty – the victim surcharge. The accumulated Victim Surcharge Fund provides direct, practical help to victims, for example meeting household repair costs that have arisen due to crime, or providing food, utility or clothing expenses for people escaping domestic abuse.

A total of £413,727 has been awarded to organisations, including Victim Support Scotland, trauma and loss centre the Manda Centre and Scottish women’s aid groups, since the Scottish Government launched the Victim Surcharge Fund in 2019.

Justice Secretary Keith Brown said: “We are committed to putting victims’ rights and needs at the centre of the criminal justice system and it is absolutely right that criminals should pay towards helping victims of crime as they recover from their experience.

“The Victim Surcharge Fund builds on the Scottish Government’s wider support for victims. Over the past five years we have invested £93m through our justice budget alone, demonstrating our commitment to putting victims first.

“I encourage victim support organisations to apply to the Fund so that victims can continue to access the support and help that they need.”

Chief Executive of Victim Support Scotland Kate Wallace said: “The cost-of-living crisis has meant that more people affected by crime are struggling to make ends meet. 

“This additional funding from the Victim Surcharge Fund allows VSS to cover the cost of essential items such as food vouchers, property repairs, alarms and funeral costs, thereby meeting the needs of vulnerable victims in the aftermath of crime.

“Since 2020, VSS Emergency Assistance Fund has provided £495,000 worth of goods to more than 1,000 people and their families, thanks to funding from the Victim Surcharge Fund. We accept applications directly from people affected by crime and have received referrals from over 200 support organisations.

“For many of the people we support, this financial assistance is simply life changing. We welcome the news that the fund has reopened, which helps empower people to move on after a crime.”

Victims’ organisations interested in applying to the Fund can request an application form by emailing VictimSurchargefund@gov.scot and should apply by the 9 January 2023 deadline.

Victim Surcharge Fund reopens for applications

Criminals pay towards helping victims

A fund which helps provide practical help to victims of crime has reopened for applications. Open to any organisation that supports victims of crime, the Victim Surcharge Fund is used to provide direct, practical help to victims.

Help such as meeting household repair costs that have arisen due to crime, or food, utility or clothing expenses for those escaping domestic abuse can be met with help from the Fund.

The Fund – which operates through a scheme which takes cash from criminals – has £165,000 available in this round. 

Justice Secretary Keith Brown said: “It is absolutely right that criminals should pay towards helping victims of crime as they recover from their experience.

“The Victim Surcharge Fund demonstrates a key commitment to putting victims first with key organisations being awarded vital funding to support victims.

“I encourage victim support organisations to apply to the Fund so that victims can continue to access the support and help that they need.”

CEO of Victim Support Scotland, Kate Wallace said: “For many people that have come through crime, having access to funds when they need it most can be life changing.

“Covering costs for emergency accommodation, food and clothing are just some of the ways that funding can be used. The Victim Surcharge Fund has enabled us to reach even more victims who are facing financial adversity through no fault of their own.”

From November 2019, anyone committing a crime that results in a court fine is charged an additional penalty – the victim surcharge.  This cash from criminals accumulates in the Victim Surcharge Fund. 

Following the first round of funding, five organisations that support victims of crime shared £157,000 earlier this year.

Victims organisations interested in applying to the Fund can request an application form by emailing VictimSurchargefund@gov.scot and should apply by the 14 January 2022 deadline.

Victims to benefit from new charge on criminals

Offenders will be required to contribute to the cost of supporting victims of crime from November.
 
A new financial penalty will be imposed on all criminals who are sentenced to pay a court fine and the money raised will be banked in the Victim Surcharge Fund.

Victim support organisations will be able to apply to the fund to cover the costs of providing short-term and practical support such as new windows and locks for burglary victims or funeral expenses for families of murder victims.

Regulations laid in Parliament yesterday, subject to MSPs’ approval, will apply to crimes committed on or after 25 November 2019 and payments from the fund will start to be made six to 12 months later.

Justice Secretary Humza Yousaf said: “Experiencing crime can be an isolating and frightening experience and we are committed to improving the experiences of victims in our justice system.

“It’s only right that criminals should pay towards helping victims to recover and move on with their lives. The money raised through the surcharge will pay for practical support that will make a real difference to victims and their families.

“While Scotland’s long-term fall in crime means fewer people fall prey to criminals, we are continuing to invest £18 million annually to improve support, advice and information for victims. This new fund will be a valuable addition to support available and we have worked with the UK Government to ensure the necessary legislative arrangements are in place to allow its operation.

“Over the coming year we will also be carrying out further work to better understand where the gaps are in how Scotland supports victims and witnesses.”

Victim Surcharge Fund regulations

The table below sets out the level of surcharge that will be payable depending on the value of fine that is imposed by the court:

Amount of fine Surcharge payable
Up to and including £200 £10
Between £200.01 to £500 inclusive £20
Between £500.01 to £1,000 inclusive £40
Between £1,000.01 to £2,500 inclusive £75
Between £2,500.01 to £5,000 inclusive £175
Between £5,000.01 to £10,000 £350
In excess of £10,000 7.5% of the fine

38,474 fines were ordered by Scotland’s courts in 2017-18.