Disclosure Scotland publish consultation analysis report on fees discounts and waivers - what next?
/This article was featured in the SCDC Weekly - 22nd January 2025
Disclosure Scotland has published a report summarising responses to proposals on future fees, including changes to PVG checks that could see community organisations having to meet additional costs.
The consultation report shows widespread and strong opposition to the proposals, with 75% of the 1200 responses saying they did not agree they should be implemented. The report outlines the consultation findings and is being used to inform the policy development on the future fees for Disclosure Scotland services.
CHEX and SCDC responded to the consultation in June, and highlighted that, for many smaller organisations, the additional costs resulting from the proposed changes would lead to a reduction in other provision and activities. In an already challenging time for the sector, organisations would need to spend time and resource seeking additional funding or larger grant awards and/or reducing or stopping volunteer recruitment.
It also reflected other elements in our response, including that the increased complexity of the process would burden organisations with more administrative work, and being required to provide additional evidence of personal circumstances may be a barrier to potential volunteers.
Funding and resources are already precarious and, with volunteer recruitment dropping across the country, the proposed changes would only present additional barriers and challenges to participation in volunteering in community organisations. We hope that the new fee regulations, which will be laid out early this year, reflect the evidence from the consultation response.
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