THERE will be no gaps in the support offered to survivors between the closure of the Interim Support Scheme (ISS) and the launch of the National Redress Scheme, the National Safeguarding Team has said.
On Wednesday, a letter was sent to ISS applicants to inform them that the scheme would close on 1 October. “From the beginning, it has been the intention that the Interim Support Scheme would close once the Redress Scheme became available,” the letter says.
The Redress Scheme was “expected to open for applications during 2026”, and was “progressing as planned”, it said.
The letter acknowledges that the news “may cause worry or uncertainty”, and says that the awards already in process will be honoured, regardless of when they end. “However, as the ISS approach closes, we do need to make you aware that support will gradually begin to taper down. . . Awards from future applications will reflect the now shortened lifespan on the Scheme.”
This ISS can offer support on a reducing scale for up to 12 months beyond 1 October, it says. “We are committed to avoiding sudden or unexpected endings to support wherever possible; however, please do not assume that you will be awarded a further 12 months of support as this cannot be guaranteed.”
The letter says that the team is working with the Archbishops’ Council to develop a new “survivor support fund” to avoid the creation of a gap following the closure of the ISS.
On Thursday, a spokesperson for the NST said: “The Church of England’s National Redress Scheme is due to launch in the autumn, following recent approval by Parliament. The Interim Support Scheme (ISS) in its current form will be replaced by a revised scheme that will continue to provide immediate and short-term support for those who need it. There will be no gaps in the support offered. . . .
“This transition will be made in a measured and trauma-informed way to ensure continuity of support. The Church remains fully committed to working alongside victims and survivors to develop the revised scheme.”
Planning for the Redress Scheme began in 2021, but its creation proved complicated, and required several rounds of drafting and consultation (News, 1 August 2025). The current triennium funding agreed by the Archbishops’ Council includes an allocation of £150 million towards the costs of the scheme.
The ISS was set up in 2020 (News, 2 October 2020). The latest annual report of the Archbishops’ Council (for 2024) states that 117 people have received support through the scheme. The total allocated from 2020 to 2024 stood at £2.8 million.