Local authorities, housing associations and community organisations across Scotland have used the Scotland Loves Local Gift Card as a targeted disbursement tool to support people experiencing financial hardship, whilst simultaneously keeping spend within local economies and providing a boost for local businesses.
Glasgow City Council
One of the largest and most high-profile uses of the Scotland Loves Local Gift Card took place in Glasgow in 2022. As part of their cost-of-living response, Glasgow City Council distributed gift cards to around 85,000 low income households.
Eligible households (determined by those who were entitled to Council Tax Reduction) received gift cards which were pre-loaded with £105 with the dual purpose of providing direct financial relief and channeling spend into the local economy, with the gift cards being accepted by registered Glasgow businesses.
A year after the programme, local authority data showed that over £7.59million was spent in Glasgow businesses with the gift card.
By August 2024 that figure had risen: the scheme reported that more than £8.2 million had been spent via the Glasgow SLL Gift Card. Of that, nearly £7.6 million was attributed to the households reached through the GCC-led distribution.
Aberdeenshire Council
Aberdeenshire Council announced in February 2023 that it would be disbursing £100 pre-paid Scotland Loves Local Aberdeenshire gift Cards to over 11,000 eligible households in the region.
To ensure maximum uptake, the council also made the cards available for collection at its main service points across Aberdeenshire in April 2023. By that point, nearly 8,900 of the initial 11,349 cards had been activated, with more than £528,000 already spent through local businesses.
A subsequent update in May 2023 indicated that over 80% of the cards had been activated, unlocking around £920,000 worth of local spend, and some £600,000 had already circulated into Aberdeenshire businesses.
East Ayrshire Council
East Ayrshire Council in partnership with the Kilmarnock Business Association and other key local stakeholders, used the Scotland Loves Local East Ayrshire Gift Card as part of its support packages for families in need:
- In December 2020 (at Christmas) the council distributed 4,030 gift cards to families eligible for free school meals, as part of locally procured food boxes.
- In Easter 2021 the scheme was expanded, with the local authority distributing 4,520 gift cards to families with children of nursery age as well as school age, to provide dignified support.
The rationale behind using the local gift card to support families was to ensure that recipients had a greater choice about where and how to spend their support (food, clothes, small services etc) , rather than issuing generic supermarket vouchers or cash. It also allowed the spending to stay within the local economy.
South Ayrshire Council
In late 2022, South Ayrshire Council launched a targeted disbursement scheme under the Scotland Loves Local Gift Card programme to assist households facing cost-of-living pressures. The council identified approximately 9900 households receiving Council Tax reduction and issued a one-off £50 South Ayrshire Gift Card.
Recipients could spend the gift cards at registered participating businesses only within the South Ayrshire area — thereby ensuring that the support given to households also helped lock spending into the local economy and benefited local retailers, leisure and services. According to the council, more than 140 businesses had registered at the time of announcement.
By January 2023, the council reported an activation rate of around 81% for the cards issued under the scheme. At that time, more than £283,000 had been spent by households using the cards
The Scotland Loves Local Gift Card initiative has proven to be an effective and dignified mechanism for supporting individuals and families experiencing financial hardship, while simultaneously strengthening local economies.
From large-scale programmes in urban centres like Glasgow to more targeted efforts across Aberdeenshire, East Ayrshire, and South Ayrshire, the initiative has demonstrated how locally focused disbursement schemes can deliver meaningful social and economic impact.
By empowering recipients with choice, ensuring funds are reinvested in local communities, and fostering collaboration between councils, businesses, and residents, the Scotland Loves Local Gift Card continues to serve as a model for place-based resilience and inclusive economic recovery across Scotland.
To find out more and to place a Scotland Loves Local Gift Card business order, please visit: https://scotlandgiftslocal.com/business-orders/
