The funding gap putting village halls at risk

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 fund's final deadline for completed project work was 31 March 2026. As of June 2026, no replacement scheme has been announced by the government.

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 remaining route from ACRE is a small grants scheme of £2,000–£5,000 per hall. Useful for modest work, but not a substitute for the larger capital grants the Platinum Jubilee Fund provided.

REPAIRS GO UNDONE

Ageing buildings deteriorate faster when improvements are deferred, pushing long-term costs even higher.

ENERGY BILLS STAY HIGH

Without insulation or efficient heating upgrades, running costs remain a significant burden on volunteer committees.

ACCESS DOESN'T IMPROVE

Ramps, accessible toilets, and hearing loops all rely heavily on capital grants that are now considerably scarcer.

HALLS MAY CLOSE

Halls that cannot afford essential upkeep risk being forced to shut — especially in the smallest villages.

What can hall committees

do now?

While a national replacement fund is not yet available, there are several real options worth exploring. None are simple, but each is available now.

APPLY TO THE GREAT BRITISH ENERGY COMMUNITY FUND

The government's Great British Energy Community Fund provides grants for feasibility and development work on renewable energy projects — including rooftop solar on village halls. £5 million is available in 2026, delivered through regional Net Zero Hubs. This could meaningfully reduce long-term energy bills. Search for your regional Net Zero Hub to find out how to apply.

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.

CONTACT YOUR COUNTY'S RURAL SUPPORT CHARITY

ACRE works through a network of 37 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.

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. 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.