Edinburgh Police Fund for Children
The purpose of the Fund
The Fund is for the provision of school shoes and warm coats to children of school age. Outerwear bearing the school logo is not eligible.
Who is eligible for assistance from the Edinburgh Police Fund for Children?
School age children who reside in the City of Edinburgh Council administration area and meet the grant criteria can apply for a grant.
How do I apply to the Edinburgh Police Fund for Children?
Applications must be submitted by a post holder from Edinburgh Council or a third sector organisation. Suitable post holders include social workers, pupil support officers, debt advisers, employment advisers, community link workers, head teachers, family support workers. Applications will not be accepted directly from members of the public.
In order to apply you will need to create a login to our grant management system or if you already have an account please login.
For more information on how we process personal data please see our Privacy Notice. Please can you make the applicant aware of this information as well.
Grant enquiries
For further information please contact [email protected]
Criteria for Grants
- The Fund is exclusively for the provision of school shoes and coats
- The beneficiary must reside in the City of Edinburgh Council administration area
- Applications can only be submitted by a third party worker who is supporting the family e.g. Social Worker, Support Worker or a Head/Guidance Teacher
- Applications will not be accepted directly from members of the public
- Only one application on behalf of the child, family or household will be considered in a rolling twelve-month period.
- Due to high demand, the maximum number of applications per school is 5 per term and an annual cap of 10 will apply.
History of the Fund
The Edinburgh Police Fund for Children (EPFC), formerly the Police Aided Clothing Scheme, was instituted in 1892 by the Lord Provost and the Chief Constable of the City of Edinburgh. Its priority was to “alleviate the suffering of necessitous children, or in exceptional cases adults, resident in the City of Edinburgh, by supplying them with footwear and clothing and by making such other provision to them as may seem requisite from time to time”.
For over 120 years the Charity distributed items of clothing (mostly warm jackets and footwear) to children of school age. From January 2016 the charity started to provide grants instead of clothing and Edinburgh and Lothian Trust Fund SCIO administered the distribution of grants on behalf of the Edinburgh Police Fund for Children.
In January 2023, the Edinburgh Police Fund for Children (EPFC), was dissolved as an independent registered charity but it remains as a separate restricted fund within Edinburgh and Lothian Trust Fund SCIO. The purposes of the Fund remain unchanged and organisations can apply for grants for shoes and jackets in the same way as before.