NOLB Grant Extension Parental Travel Initiative
Renfrewshire Council · 25 August 2026
Back to Economy and Regeneration Policy Board — 25 August 2026 and its agenda
Text extracted from the council's PDF. Layout and reading order may differ from the original.
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PUBLIC ___________________________________________________________________ To: Economy and Regeneration Policy Board On: 25 August 2026 ___________________________________________________________________ Report by: Chief Executive ___________________________________________________________________ Heading: NOLB Grant Extension: Parental Travel Initiative ___________________________________________________________________ 1. Summary 1.1 Renfrewshire Council receives an annual grant, on behalf of the Renfrewshire Local Employability Partnership, from the Scottish Government under the policy areas of No- One Left Behind (NOLB) and Tackling Child Poverty. 1.2 This report provides an update to the board paper of 26th May 2026 “Scottish Government Employability Grant Award and Investment Plan 26/27” outlining an additional grant award for the Renfrewshire area to support parental travel for 2026-27 employability clients. _________________________________________________________________________________________ 2. Recommendations 2.1 It is recommended that the Board: (i) Note the acceptance of additional grant for parental travel for 2026-27. (ii) Note the planned use of the funds as outlined in the report. _________________________________________________________ 3. Background 3.1 Employability is central to achieving the shared ambitions of both the Scottish Government and local authorities to reduce poverty, advance social inclusion, promote equality, and support sustainable economic growth. 3.2 Through the No One Left Behind approach, employability services are designed and delivered through strong local partnerships. Local Employability Partnerships (LEPs) operate in every local authority area, providing strategic leadership to shape provision around local labour market demands and community priorities.
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PUBLIC 3.3 Employability funding from the Scottish Government is allocated to the local authority, which acts as the accountable body on behalf of the partnership. Decisions on priorities and investment are made collectively through the LEP to ensure resources are aligned to local needs. 3.4 A further NOLB funding award was received on 28th May 2026 to support the costs of parental travel. All Local Employability Partnerships are required to deliver an enhanced offer of support to parents through the “Transport to Employment – Offer to Parents”. This will put a stronger emphasis on transport as a persistent barrier to employment for low-income families, ensuring that affordability, accessibility, and availability issues are not limiting parents’ access to training, education, and sustainable work. 3.5 Up to £9 million has been identified to support the design and delivery of this Transport to Employment Offer during 2026/27 across Scotland. Renfrewshire has received a grant offer of £278,149 _________________________________________________________ 4. Purpose of the Grant and Proposed Use 4.1 The transport to employment offer is intended to support parents to: • Enter or sustain employment or progress within existing employment (including increasing hours or moving into better-paid or more secure work) • Undertake employment-related or progression-linked training. • Sustain work or increased hours during an initial transition period. • The offer is designed as time limited, targeted support. 4.2 It must not be used as a long-term travel subsidy and should form part of a wider No One Left Behind employability journey, including in-work progression support where appropriate. 4.3 The Renfrewshire LEP have agreed that the grant will be used in the following ways but with flexibility to move funds around (the table below is an extract from the Investment Plan submitted to the Scottish Government 26/6/26). It should be noted that at the time of writing the Investment Plan has not yet been approved and so the proposal below may change. 4.4 The outline below will require to be used flexibly in order to support as many parents as possible and also to maximise the spend and uptake of support. The requirement to utilise the funds before the end of March 2027 will be tight, particularly in some areas such as examining community transport options. There is no guarantee of further funding and the funding can only be used for employability clients, i.e. those being supported through NOLB and on an employability journey to secure employment. 4.5 Further reports will be brought to board as required.
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PUBLIC Rationale for Intervention Delivery Method / Description Delivery Partners Anticipated Start Date Number of Participants Supported Forecast Spend (3) To remove the transport financial barrier by supporting parents with travel costs to help with the transition into training or work or help to take on additional work hours. Parent Travel Support Card - provide up to 12 weeks of subsidised bus and rail travel while attending interviews, training, work placements or during the transition into employment. Renfrewshire Council (Invest), SPT, McGill's, First Bus, ScotRail, DWP, Colleges 01/07/2026 175 80,000 Provide investment in Community Transport Services to help parents living in rural villages and poorly connected communities where local transport is limited. Investment will improve access to local employment centres, employers, colleges, training providers, childcare and healthcare etc where conventional public transport is insufficient. Community Transport Access Programme - increase community transport capacity and provide a demand-responsive services operating around identified need. Community Transport Providers, Third Sector Interface, Renfrewshire Council 01/11/2026 60 55,000 Advisers frequently encounter urgent transport issues that cannot wait for formal funding processes. A locally managed discretionary fund enables rapid intervention to prevent parents disengaging from Adviser Discretionary Travel Fund - travel budget to provide small financial support grants, typically between £25 and £300, for emergency fuel, parking, childcare travel, interview travel, travel passes or exceptional transport costs. Renfrewshire Council (Invest) 01/07/2026 40 25,000
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PUBLIC Rationale for Intervention Delivery Method / Description Delivery Partners Anticipated Start Date Number of Participants Supported Forecast Spend (3) employment or training because of immediate travel costs. A flexible fund enables advisers to remove immediate transport cost barriers quickly, for parents when starting work, attending employability training and support sessions, interviews, etc ensuring opportunities are not lost because of short-term financial hardship. Travel to Work & Training Fund - a discretionary grant to fund bus fares, rail tickets, fuel, taxis or emergency travel linked directly to employment or training. This may include bicycles and Electric bikes. Renfrewshire Council (Invest), DWP, Colleges, Training Providers 01/07/2026 100 38,149 Supporting parents to gain or refresh driving skills creates long-term access to better-paid employment and expands the range of opportunities available. Driving Access Pathway - Support packages would include theory tests, practical tests, driving lessons and refresher training delivered through approved instructors. Approved Driving Schools, DVSA, Invest in Renfrewshire 01/07/2026 25 35,000 Local travel hub for parents to get advice and support with transport Smart Travel & Journey Planning Hub - a dedicated online portal would provide journey planning, transport information, travel support schemes, employer transport options and links to community transport. Renfrewshire Council (Invest), SPT, Employers, Colleges 01/09/2026 400+ users 10,000 To parents are often unable to accept employment because early shifts start before Employer Travel Incentives. Glasgow Airport & Ingilston Shuttle Pilots - Through promotion and engagement Renfrewshire LEP, Employers, Chamber of Commerce, Renfrewshire Council (Business Team) 01/09/2026 35,000
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PUBLIC Rationale for Intervention Delivery Method / Description Delivery Partners Anticipated Start Date Number of Participants Supported Forecast Spend (3) public transport operates. employers would make a case for accessing a transport support Incentive. Examples : Shuttle bus shared costs, car share software. Bike to work, Fuel Contribution. Guaranteed Emergency journey home 100+ Implications of the Report 1. Financial -the report provides information on Scottish Government funding for 26-27 which has increased since the previous report in May. 2. HR & Organisational Development –no staff posts are supported by this fund. 3. Community/Council Planning – • Our Renfrewshire is thriving – over 400 parents looking for work will be supported through this additional fund. • Reshaping our place, our economy and our future – employability plays a major role in the local economy, supporting people to get into work. • Tackling inequality, ensuring opportunities for all – NOLB specifically ensures that those most disadvantaged are not left behind. • Working together to improve outcomes – the Renfrewshire Local Employability Partnership is an excellent example of joint working amongst local partners with the aim of improving outcomes and opportunities. 4. Legal – none 5. Property/Assets – none 6. Information Technology – none 7. Equality & Human Rights - The Recommendations contained within this report have been assessed in relation to their impact on equalities and human rights. No negative impacts on equality groups or potential for infringement of individuals’ human rights have been identified arising from the recommendations contained in the report because it is for noting only.
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PUBLIC If required following implementation, the actual impact of the recommendations and the mitigating actions will be reviewed and monitored, and the results of the assessment will be published on the Council’s website. 8. Health & Safety - none 9. Procurement – none. 10. Risk – none. 11. Privacy Impact – none. 12. Children’s Rights – none. 13. Cosla Policy Position – not applicable. 14. Climate Risk – not applicable. _________________________________________________________ List of Background Papers Economy and Regeneration Board, 26th May 2026, Scottish Government Employability Grant Award and Investment Plan 26/27 ___________________________________________________________________ Author: Ruth Cooper, Economic Development Manager, ruth.cooper@renfrewshire.gov.uk