OPSS community funding for product safety

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

To empower more consumers to choose and use products safely we inviteare inviting organisations to bid to deliver community-based and/or consumer-focused product safety awareness and education projects.

Details

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 Monday 7 July 2025, for activity to be delivered by 23 January 2026.

Any organisation 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 projects:

Opportunity 1: Second-hand goods

We welcome proposals to deliver community-based and/or consumer-focused awareness and educational activity which addresses how to purchase and use second-hand goods safely. Projects can include advice on buying goods from online marketplaces and in-person purchases.

Read OPSS guidance on buying second-hand goods, which we encourage bidders to follow.

Opportunity 2: Product safety activities targeted at the needs of disabled consumers

We welcome bids to deliver community-based and/or consumer-focused awareness and educational activity targeted at the needs of disabled consumers (as defined by the Equality Act 2010).

Current OPSS campaign materials or messaging can be used as part of the proposed 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 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 product-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

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

IfTo help you havewith anyyour questions,application, pleasethese contactare OPSSconsumer@businessandtrade.gov.uk.some examples of work we have funded previously:

• Read Local Citizens Advice Rushmoor ran a ‘Product Safety Community Awareness’ project. Fourteen workshops targeted at foodbank users, families, pensioners, people with additional literacy needs and community champions were held to raise product safety awareness. OPSS assets were also used to create accessible posters targeted to the needs of the community.
• CETMA ran a ‘Community Electrical Safety Campaign’ including a roadshow across West and South Wales, where targeted leaflets and advice were given to the community. It also attended foodbanks and added product safety information to food parcels.
• Milton Keynes Trading Standards ‘Toy Safety Matters’ campaign involved the creation of a video and targeted toy safety drop-in sessions held at Family Centres.
• Oxfordshire Fire and Rescue Service’s ‘E-bike and E-scooter Campaign’ involved creating targeted, accessible product safety materials for use at 4 face-to-face events attended by 700 people.
• Closha Associated Ltd in partnership with Bolton Deaf Society and Deafway developed a BSL consumer website to host product safety messages for deaf consumers. Three product safety videos in BSL promoting toy safety, button battery safety and electrical safety were created and hosted on the contractssite awardedalong with five previously produced product safety videos in 2025-2026.BSL.

Submit your bid

Please submit your bid using the online form for:

• Opportunity 1: Second-hand goods – Microsoft forms
• Read Opportunity information2: onProduct safety activities targeted at the contractsneeds awardedof indisabled 2024-2025.consumers – Microsoft forms

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

• Read Download informationthe onform OPSSfor grants.Opportunity 1 (ODT, 30.9 KB)
• Read Download furtherthe informationform aboutfor OPSS.Opportunity 2 (ODT, 31 KB)

All bids must be submitted by 7 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.