Hardship Fund award but work not yet finished

The Scottish Government runs a fund — the Bus Services and LEZ Hardship Fund — that helps drivers and small operators pay to scrap or upgrade vehicles that do not meet the Low Emission Zone rules. If you had already applied for, or been awarded, money from this fund but had not yet had the work completed by the date of your ticket, the council is expected to cancel the penalty. Many councils still issue tickets to people in exactly this position, which is a recognised reason to challenge.

Legal basis

SSI 2021/177 reg 8(4)(f); Scottish Government LEZ Statutory Guidance under s.32

How to identify this in your case

Pending or recently approved Hardship Fund application at contravention date.

Sample appeal wording

Before you send this

Deadline. A late submission can be turned down without your argument being read. Check your notice for the deadline and how it is counted.
Paying may end it. Paying can count as accepting the notice and can close a challenge already under way. Part-paying or acknowledging an old debt can also revive a time limit that had expired.
The amount can change. Check what happens to the sum if you challenge — it may be held, re-offered lower, or keep rising, and fees or enforcement can continue meanwhile.
Use the official route. Use the method, recipient and form your notice specifies, with any reference, evidence and signature it asks for. Sent elsewhere, it may not count.
Only say what is true. Do not copy any statement of fact unless it is true for you, and check the legal point still applies. Delete what does not fit. It may be treated as your statement.
Careful what you volunteer. Avoid unnecessary admissions — naming the driver or accepting responsibility can remove arguments. But answer anything you are legally required to answer, and do include the evidence your ground needs.
Keep the record. Keep what you sent, the attachments, any receipt, and the reply. Note the next deadline.

Sample wording to adapt and send yourself — it may not fit your notice or the stage you are at. Replace the bracketed prompts with your own details; leave any case citation as it is.

Dear [COUNCIL] LEZ Team, Re: PCN [PCN_NUMBER] Representation under reg 8(1); ground reg 8(4)(f). At contravention time I had [pending application / approved award not yet effected] under the Bus Services and LEZ Hardship Fund. Application reference [REF], dated [APPLICATION_DATE]. Award is for [scrappage / retrofit / replacement]; implementation scheduled [DATE]. Scottish Government's LEZ Statutory Guidance under s.32 expects councils to take account of pending hardship support. Imposition of a penalty would frustrate the policy objective. Please cancel. Yours faithfully, [NAME]

Beat It writes this argument automatically

Scan your PCN — our AI checks if this ground applies to your specific ticket, drafts a properly-cited appeal letter, and sends it for you where the council takes email — guiding you through their own online form where they use one, so you press submit. The win fee is only charged if you win.

Hardship Fund award but work not yet finished

Legal basis

How to identify this in your case

Sample appeal wording

Beat It writes this argument automatically

Sources

Related appeal grounds

Next steps