Victims’ Fund project

VSS operates a Victims’ Fund available to everyone it supports who is in financial need as a result of crime. During the 2020 coronavirus outbreak, the Scottish Government gave £70,000 to the fund, meaning that £100,000 in total was available for paying for goods and services to victims and their families. The Fund was opened to third sector support organisations, who could apply for the fund on behalf of the victims they supported.

The Fund is open to any victim of any crime who is resident in Scotland currently accessing victim and other support services. It is also available for people who live outside of Scotland who have been bereaved by a crime that has occurred within Scotland. People can access assistance worth up to £3,000, for a wide range of goods and services where they have no other access to funds.

With the large amount of financial need as a result of crime during the coronavirus, VSS created a panel to assess applications and worked with a range of third sector support services to provide holistic support to Fund applicants. VSS was able to reach and support new audiences as well as collaborate with a range of external services.