Gaelic
Crofting Census
The Crofting Commission is required to give notice to crofters to make an annual declaration regarding their croft through the Crofting Census. This is a legislative duty which was implemented as part of the Crofting Reform (Scotland) Act 2010.
Crofters are asked to provide information on whether they are complying with their duties. This will help to establish a clear picture of the current state of crofting and enable the Commission to build up the evidence base for the value of crofting. With the information provided, the Commission will be able to better understand and raise issues facing the future of crofting.
Crofters can contribute to the future of their crofts and communities by:
- Completing the Crofting Census form and providing the Commission with valuable information
- Understanding their responsibilities as a crofter
- Making sure they fulfil the duties of a crofter
- Taking steps to put things right if they are not fulfilling their duties.
What are the duties of a crofter?
- A duty to be a resident on, or within 32 kilometres of, their croft
- A duty not to neglect their croft
- A duty to cultivate and maintain their croft or to put it to another purposeful use
The Crofting Commission are on hand to support and advise crofters on the various options available to them in complying with their duties.
Download the Crofting Census leaflet and see Crofters Duties for more information. You can also view our Crofting Census Privacy Notice.
All crofters must have completed and returned their 2019 census form(s) by 31 March 2020. If you have any questions please call, or email, and we’ll be happy to assist you with your query. T:01463 663439
Crofting Census
Covid -19
The Commission is now accepting new applications, but as all staff continue to work from home and the office remains closed, these will be processed more slowly than usual. Any applications that relate to statutory deadlines, or which concern a Crofting Register form to notify the Commission that an event has taken place, will be given priority over other applications.
Where applications require a site visit, it will not be possible for any site visit to be carried out until the government eases the current restrictions on movement.Where any application involves a hearing, no hearings will take place until the current restrictions on movement are eased and the government has advised that public meetings (with appropriate physical distancing) can take place.
Approved Applications:
If you are a crofter who has had an application approved by the Commission within the last 3 monthsPlease read this important information regarding effecting Commission regulatory decisions.
You can continue to contact us by email info@crofting.gov.scot and although we are now in a position to deal with phone calls to our reception line, few staff have access to work phones to make return calls and therefore the service will be limited. We would therefore ask that you continue to contact us via email. You can of course continue to use the mobile numbers on the Contact Us page of this website to speak with us.
The Commission understands that this is a difficult time for all concerned, but we wish to reassure crofters and their agents that we will continue to work to restore normal levels of service. It is unlikely that this can be fully restored until the government permits offices to reopen and for various restrictions on movements and meetings to be eased.
20 May 2020.
