Question to the Department for Digital, Culture, Media & Sport:

To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport, if she will make an assessment of the potential merits of providing additional funding to the voluntary, community, and social enterprise organisations for (a) reducing their energy consumption and (b) other costs.

The VCSE Energy Efficiency Scheme (EES) is a £25.53 million grant programme, set up under the previous government and delivered in 2023/24 and 2024/25 to increase the energy efficiency and long-term sustainability of frontline VCSE organisations.

There is no plan to continue the EES beyond this financial year. However there are a number of other ways in which the government supports VCSEs with their financial sustainability. This includes delivering other grant programmes, growing other sources of funding such as the social investment market, and supporting the viability of central and local government contracts. The government will also shortly set out how it intends to allocate the £350 million expected to flow into the Dormant Assets Scheme in England between 2024 and 2028 to the named causes - youth, financial inclusion, social investment, and community wealth funds.