The funding gap putting village halls at risk

A major government grant scheme has closed and no direct replacement for village hall capital improvements has been announced.

← Back to all posts Published 15-9-2026

 

What was the Platinum Jubilee Village Halls Fund?

There are more than 10,000 village halls across England. Most are run entirely by volunteers. They host fitness classes, post offices, doctor's surgeries, playgroups, and weddings. For many rural communities, the village hall is the only shared public space within easy reach.

In May 2022, the government announced a dedicated grant fund to mark Queen Elizabeth II's Platinum Jubilee. Called the Platinum Jubilee Village Halls Fund, it was managed by the charity Action with Communities in Rural England (ACRE) and funded by the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs (Defra).

 

The fund offered grants of between £7,500 and £75,000, covering up to 20% of a project's total capital costs. Halls had to raise the remaining 80% themselves. The money could only be spent on physical improvements — new roofs, insulation, kitchen and toilet upgrades, extensions, and energy efficiency measures.

The fund followed an earlier scheme - the Village Halls Improvement Grant - which ran from 2018 to 2021 and was worth £2.8 million. Government support for village halls is not new, but it has never been permanent.

 

 

What happens now it has closed?

The main grants fund closed on 31 March 2026. A small grants fund briefly reopened afterwards to use up a minor underspend, but that too is now closed. As of September 2026, no replacement scheme has been announced by the government. ACRE's own website confirms the fund is closed and states the charity is continuing to make the case for renewed investment.

 

 

This closure comes at a particularly difficult time. Energy bills, insurance costs, and maintenance expenses have all risen sharply, often faster than the income halls generate from room hire. Many halls were depending on this fund to tackle long-overdue improvements that would make their buildings cheaper to run and more accessible.

The small grants scheme of £2,000 - £5,000 per hall, which had provided a modest fallback option, is also now closed following a brief reopening to use up remaining funds. There is currently no dedicated government capital grant for village hall building improvements in England, although separate government-backed funding now exists for eligible community energy projects.

 

What funding is available for village halls in 2026?

While a dedicated capital grant is no longer available, there are several real options worth exploring. None are a direct replacement, but each is available now.

 

1. APPLY TO THE GREAT BRITISH ENERGY COMMUNITY FUND

The government's Great British Energy Community Fund (GBECF) is now being delivered through regional Net Zero Hubs, with funding windows opening during autumn 2026. In February 2026, the government published its Local Power Plan, backed by up to £1 billion from Great British Energy, and a further £15 million of early-stage development funding was announced in May 2026. Unlike the Platinum Jubilee Fund, this programme focuses on community energy projects, such as rooftop solar, rather than general building refurbishment. It will not cover repairs, kitchens, or accessibility works, but it could meaningfully reduce long-term energy bills. Contact your regional Net Zero Hub to find out more.

 

2. USE THE RURAL COMMUNITY BUILDINGS LOAN FUND

ACRE manages the Rural Community Buildings Loan Fund, which provides low-interest loans for repair and maintenance work that grant funds typically don't cover. A practical option for halls that need urgent structural work and can't wait for a new grant scheme to emerge.

 

3. CONTACT YOUR COUNTY'S RURAL SUPPORT CHARITY

ACRE works through a network of 38 local member charities - one in almost every county in England. Their specialist advisers know what funding is available locally and can help with applications. In Kent, that organisation is Community Action Kent. Your local adviser is often the quickest route to funding that national searches miss entirely.

 

4. LOBBY FOR A NEW NATIONAL FUND

ACRE and the Rural Services Network have both publicly called for continued government investment in village halls. Hall trustees can support this by writing to their MP, sharing evidence of the community impact their hall makes, and taking part in Village Halls Week to keep the issue in the public eye.

Village halls have been at the heart of rural life for well over a century. Many sector organisations, including ACRE and the Rural Services Network, argue that a new long-term funding settlement from government would be the most effective solution. Until that happens, local resourcefulness and the ACRE network remain the best available lifeline.

 

About Simply Halls: 
Simply Halls exists because village halls matter. We built an online booking and payments platform specifically for community spaces — making it simpler for the volunteers who run them to manage hirings, and easier for local people to find and book them. If you run a village hall and want to spend less time on admin, we'd love to help.

 

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