The Office for Product Safety and Standards (OPSS) has responsibility for protecting people from product-relatedproduct related harm and ensuring consumers can buy products with confidence.  confidence.

To helpempower keepmore consumers safe,to choose and use products safely we are inviting organisations to bid to deliver community-based andand/or consumer-focused product safety awareness and education activity.projects.

We are particularly interested in funding projects that:

• take place in-person at community settings, and/or
• make product safety messaging more accessible

Bid for funding

If you would like to apply for funding, please complete the relevant bid form, which contains information about how bids are assessed and our expectations.

Bids will be considered for projects valued under £10,000 excluding VAT that reach OPSS by FridayMonday 67 DecemberJuly 2024,2025, for activity to be delivered by 3123 MarchJanuary 2025.2026.

Any organisationsorganisation can apply, and we welcome bids from voluntary groups, smaller charities, community groups and those looking to partner with the third sector.

This year we are funding two distinct product safety themes:projects:

ThemeOpportunity 1: ProductSecond-hand safety community awarenessgoods

We welcome proposals to deliver community-based consumerand/or consumer-focused awareness and educational activity which addresses thehow risksto purchase and issuesuse experiencedsecond-hand bygoods consumerssafely. inProjects relationcan toinclude productadvice safetyon (includingbuying howgoods theyfrom buyonline marketplaces and usein-person products).purchases.

Theme

Read 2:OPSS Riskguidance ofon firesbuying associatedsecond-hand withgoods, e-bikes,which e-scooters,we conversionencourage kits,bidders theirto batteriesfollow.

Opportunity and2: chargersProduct safety activities targeted at the needs of disabled consumers

We welcome proposalsbids to deliver community-based consumerand/or consumer-focused awareness and educational activity whichtargeted addressesat the fireneeds safetyof risksdisabled experienced by consumers in(as relationdefined toby buyingthe andEquality chargingAct e-bikes,2010).

Current e-scooters,OPSS conversioncampaign kits,materials theiror batteriesmessaging andcan chargers.be Noteused thatas wepart areof notthe fundingproposed road safety proposals.activity.

Activity we will fund

We will fund activity that:

• improves consumer awareness and confidence about how to choose and use products safely
• provides product safety education or advice
• empowers consumers to take action to protect themselves and others from product-related harm
• falls within our remit

We cannot fund bids about food, chemicals, medical products orproducts or vehicles.

Read further information about OPSS.

We are especially interested in funding proposals that focus on activities targeted at those who could be deemed to be more at risk of productproduct-related harm, due to (but not limited to):

• age
• socio-economic circumstance (e.g. they are on a low income which impacts how they buy and continue to use products)
• having additional literacy needs such as English as an additional language
• low digital skills or being digitally excluded
• a medical condition or disability

Where possible, we encourage learning and assets created through the project to be shared, allowing maximum reach. There is the option to use current OPSS campaign materials as part of the proposed activity.

View our campaign materials.

Reporting

Successful bidders will need to submit a report to receive payment, including:

• a summary of the project objective and success criteria
• details of the approach taken and how this was designed to meet objectives
• the reach and impact of the work in terms of consumer engagement (how many people attended the activity/what they learnt)

We can consider part payment in arrears for tangible activities delivered before the end of the reporting period. Bidders should highlight what those activities are and include a draft payment schedule.

Previous examples

To help you with your application, these are some examples of work we have funded previously:

• Kent Local CountyCitizens Council’sAdvice ‘TeacherRushmoor inran Youra Pocket’‘Product schemeSafety wasCommunity designedAwareness’ toproject. reachFourteen disabledworkshops people,targeted olderat people,foodbank andusers, thosefamilies, digitallypensioners, excluded.people Throughwith thisadditional project,literacy family,needs friendsand orcommunity carerschampions canwere useheld theirto ownraise phonesproduct safety awareness. OPSS assets were also used to sharecreate educationalaccessible videoposters contenttargeted onto athe one-to-oneneeds basis.of the community.
• Consumer CETMA Friendran developeda social‘Community mediaElectrical andSafety aCampaign’ podcastincluding toa educateroadshow consumersacross onWest theand potentialSouth harmWales, ofwhere teethtargeted whiteningleaflets products and thingsadvice were given to considerthe beforecommunity. buying,It targetedalso specificallyattended atfoodbanks youngand people.added product safety information to food parcels.
• The Milton LullabyKeynes TrustTrading ranStandards a‘Toy socialSafety mediaMatters’ campaign focusedinvolved onthe empoweringcreation carers of younga babiesvideo toand maketargeted safertoy choicessafety fordrop-in wheresessions theirheld babyat sleeps.Family AnCentres.
• Oxfordshire easy-readFire cardand Rescue Service’s ‘E-bike and anE-scooter animatedCampaign’ videoinvolved werecreating created,targeted, aimedaccessible product safety materials for use at those4 withface-to-face additionalevents literacyattended needs.by 700 people.
• East Closha Renfrewshire’sAssociated ‘ChildLtd Safety in thepartnership Home’with campaignBolton deliveredDeaf homeSociety safetyand visitsDeafway anddeveloped talksa BSL consumer website to groupshost andproduct familiessafety ofmessages new-bornfor babiesdeaf consumers. Three product safety videos in BSL promoting toy safety, button battery safety and electrical safety were created and hosted on the area,site asalong wellwith asfive workshopspreviously inproduced localproduct libraries.safety videos in BSL.

Submit your bid

Please submit your bid using the online form:form for:

• AccessOpportunity the form for Theme 1: ProductSecond-hand safety community awarenessgoods – Microsoft Formsforms
• AccessOpportunity the form for Theme 2: RiskProduct ofsafety firesactivities associatedtargeted withat e-bikes,the e-scooters,needs conversionof kits,disabled their batteries and chargersconsumers – Microsoft Formsforms

Or return as an attachment to OPSSconsumer@businessandtrade.gov.uk.

• Download the form for ThemeOpportunity 1 (ODT, 30.230.9 KB)
• Download the form for ThemeOpportunity 2 (ODT, 3031 KB)

All bids must be submitted by 67 December.July (23:59).

Organisations that have not previously received OPSS funding for consumer awareness activity will only be eligible to submit one bid this financial year.

If you have any questions, please contact OPSSconsumer@businessandtrade.gov.uk.