Published 29 March 2018

The Historic Building Restoration Grant is being piloted in Dartmoor, Lake District, Northumberland, Peak District and Yorkshire Dales National Parks with £2 million of funding available.

The aim of the scheme is to help save the iconic historic farm buildings in the English National Parks from falling out of use. Owners of these buildings from today can apply for a grant offering 80% towards the cost of restoration. This can include replacing the roof, weatherproofing the exterior, or other restoration works so that the building can be used again for farming purposes.

The scheme is open for applications until 31 January 2019 and, once approved, agreement holders will have two years to complete the works.

The grant is also supported by an implementation plan so that applicants can work with National Park advisors on developing a management plan to deliver the restoration, working with conservation consultants as necessary. This work is 100% funded so applicants can seek the advice they need to develop high quality applications and secure funding for their projects.

Lord Gardiner, Defra Minister for National Parks said:

The British countryside, including those historic farm buildings that dot some of our most iconic landscapes, is a truly precious natural asset. I am delighted that we are able to open this new set of grants supporting the restoration of traditional farm buildings.

Land managers who apply for this scheme will not only be safeguarding our rural history and culture, but also regenerating traditional buildings for use today and for future generations.

Sir Laurie Magnus, Chairman of Historic England said:

Historic England warmly welcomes this scheme and its endorsement of the value and importance of traditional farm buildings. Many farm buildings, in my view, are as important as churches in contributing to the beauty and the character of the English landscape. The partnership approach being piloted by Historic England, Natural England and upland National Parks will be of immense value in helping owners to maintain and conserve these buildings and to retain their significance for future generations.

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Over the winter months, thousands of riders declare their motorbikes as SORN (Statutory Off Road Notification) – meaning they can keep their bikes off the road without paying tax.

Recent figures from the DVLA show that of those bikers who only ride part of the year, more than half will take their motorbike out at the start of the “bank holiday season”.

The Easter weekend marks the time when many bikers choose to put their motorbikes back on the road. So the DVLA is providing the truth behind some of the myths around ‘SORN’ing and taxing a motorbike.

Myth 1: “I can still keep my motorbike on the road after I’ve SORN’d it – I just can’t drive it.”

Whilst your motorbike is declared ‘SORN’ it can’t be kept on a public road – so it must be kept in a garage, on a drive or on private land.

Myth 2: “If I’m only going out on my motorbike once I don’t need to tax it.”

By law, motorbikes must be taxed before they’re ridden or kept on the public road. If not, you risk being caught and fined a lot more than the annual cost of taxing your motorbike.

However, there is one time this isn’t the case.

You can ride a motorbike to a pre-arranged MOT appointment under ‘SORN’ – but you must have motor insurance.

Myth 3: “Using a motorbike while its SORN’d is not a big deal.”

Using any vehicle on the public road while it’s declared SORN is a criminal offence under Section 29 of the Vehicles Excise & Registration Act 1994. The maximum fine is £2,500.

Myth 4: “There’s a lot of admin and cost involved in taxing again after SORN.”

Taxing online can take minutes and you’ll receive instant confirmation that your motorbike is legal to ride on the road. You can tax online with your log book (V5C) to hand. If you don’t have your V5C, you can go to a post office to apply for one. They can tax for you at the same time.

Myth 5: “I’ve just bought the motorbike so the ‘SORN’ or tax is transferred to me.”

In the same way that tax isn’t transferred when a motorbike is sold, ‘SORN’ is also not transferred to the new keeper. You must tax a vehicle before you put it on the public road. So, if you’re buying a motorbike and want to take it out straight away – remember to tax it. You can do this at the side of the road on your phone – through the website or contact centre – as long as you have the green new keeper’s slip from the V5C.

Myth 6: “I don’t pay for my tax – it’s free, so I don’t need to tax it or ‘SORN’ it.”

Even if your motorbike is ‘nil rate’ and you don’t need to pay anything when you tax it, you still need to renew your vehicle tax each year and will still need to make a ‘SORN’ if you’re not renewing your vehicle tax.

Myth 7: “The motorbike isn’t registered in my name yet. So I can’t tax it or ‘SORN’ it.”

If you’ve just bought the motorbike, you can still do this, as long as you have the green new keeper’s slip from the log book (V5C). If you don’t have any documents, you can apply at a Post Office.

Rohan Gye, Vehicles Service Manager, said,

While there may be a number of myths about SORN the rules are clear and easy to understand – you must tax your motorbike before putting it on the road. If you’ve SORN’d your bike over the winter months the quickest and easiest way to tax is online.

For more information from DVLA on taxing a vehicle and to do it online today visit www.gov.uk/vehicle-tax.

Updated: Added contact details for National Park advisers.