Repair and Reuse Activities evaluation: summary

The Welsh Government has a strong record of prioritising the circular economy through legislative and policy instruments such as the Well-being of Future Generations (Wales) Act 2015 (UK legislation), and the 2021 Beyond Recycling strategy, which set the goal for Wales to become a zero waste, net zero emissions nation by 2050. The 2021 to 2026 Programme for Government committed to supporting 80 repair and reuse hubs in town centres across Wales to contribute to these goals.

One mechanism for delivering this goal was the establishment of the Circular Economy Fund (WRAP) in 2019, providing funding for Repair and Reuse Activities across Wales.

Repair and Reuse Activities

Hubs

A physical building or space (and could include mobile spaces, for example a van) that is open on regular days or hours, and can be accessed by the local community. The scope of activities for hubs is broad, they can include Repair and Reuse Activities as determined by community needs, alongside opportunities for recycling or upcycling items.

Library of Things

An organisation that operates a lending library of items such as tools and housewares.

Repair Café

An organisation or group that repairs broken items in community settings.

Other types of activity

There are some projects that do not fit into the categories above, such as community fridges. These are within scope of the Circular Economy Fund and, therefore, of this evaluation.

Approximately £14 million capital and revenue funding was distributed to businesses and public bodies through the Circular Economy Fund between 2019 and 2025.

Evaluation approach

This evaluation assessed the resources, activities and impacts of Circular Economy Funded Repair and Reuse Activities across Wales between 2019 and 2025. This was accomplished through a mixed-methods approach which included the following activities.

• A desk-based review of relevant funding documentation and data.
• Scoping interviews with key stakeholders to refine the evaluation framework.
• Development of theory of change models for the individually funded Repair and Reuse Activities and for the network organisations.
• Semi-structured interviews: 19 with organisers or volunteers of funded organisations, 8 with local authority representatives and 12 with service users.
• Surveys of 73 service users and 1,013 members of the general public to explore experiences and perceptions of Repair and Reuse Activities.
• Focus groups with members of the general public.
• 4 in-depth case studies of different repair and reuse activity types across Wales.
• Spatial analysis of distribution of Repair and Reuse Activities across Wales and compared to the Welsh Index of Multiple Deprivation.

Analysis focused on the social, environmental and economic impacts of the Repair and Reuse Activities, alongside value for money and counterfactual assessments to identify the potential cost-effectiveness of the funding. In addition, factors impacting the effectiveness of Repair and Reuse Activities, including the role of network organisations, location, business models and public behaviour were analysed. Barriers to delivery and options for achieving potential future impact were also assessed.

Impact of Repair and Reuse Activities

The evaluation found that the Welsh Government’s goal of funding 80 repair and reuse hubs across town centres in Wales was met; while 73 town-centre hubs were directly supported through grant funding, 163 sites were supported through network organisations (Benthyg Cymru and Repair Café Wales) which received Circular Economy funding, meaning that it is likely that the goal of supporting 80 town-centre hubs was surpassed. For this evaluation, a town centre is defined as a location which is easily accessible by public transport where people would not need to access via car. Repair and reuse hubs based at HWRCs are not considered to be in a town centre.

A range of positive social impacts of Repair and Reuse Activities for volunteers and users were identified, which include wellbeing and social connection; tailored support for vulnerable groups; confidence building and mental health improvements; learning and skills development, and community cohesion. Additionally, Repair and Reuse Activities were credited with supporting low-income households, reaching rural and excluded communities, creating community hubs, and improving awareness and understanding of circular economy concepts and services.

Environmental impacts of Repair and Reuse Activities include immediate reductions in waste, as well as the potential carbon emissions avoided from the manufacture of a new item to replace a repair or reused one. Repair and Reuse Activities also help to foster behavioural change among users and volunteers, with evidence from this evaluation suggesting that they normalise repair and reuse behaviours, encourage the purchase of second-hand goods, embed a ‘resource not waste’ attitude and mobilise community action for waste reduction.

This evaluation identified several mechanisms through which Repair and Reuse Activities deliver economic benefits to individuals and the wider community. Repair and Reuse Activities were found to promote skills development and employment among volunteers and deliver savings to individuals and households through repairing and reusing items instead of buying new. Some reuse shops were financially self-sustaining, reinvesting sales profits into community projects. Community-based repair and reuse hubs draw people into town centres, potentially increasing footfall on highstreets with possible knock-on benefits for nearby businesses.

Cost-effectiveness of Circular Economy funding

The evaluation was not able to undertake a comprehensive cost-benefit analysis due to limitations in monitoring data. While illustrative calculations of avoided carbon emissions and reported user savings suggest that Repair and Reuse Activities are likely delivering value, the absence of consistent data on outputs and outcomes prevents a full assessment.

Evidence does, however, highlight variation in cost-effectiveness across different delivery models. Household Waste Recycling Centre (HWRC)-linked schemes, supported through capital funding, show greater potential to become financially self-sustaining by embedding reuse into local authority waste systems. By contrast, community-based initiatives such as repair cafés and Libraries of Things depend heavily on volunteers and ongoing revenue support. While these projects deliver significant social and wellbeing benefits, their long-term financial sustainability remains less certain.

Investment in network organisations, Repair Café Wales and Benthyg Cymru, proved an effective mechanism for achieving scale. By providing insurance, training, administrative support and peer learning opportunities, networks reduced barriers for local groups to set up and expand services. This approach enabled the Welsh Government to reach more communities indirectly than would have been possible through direct grant funding alone.

Taken together, these findings suggest that the Circular Economy Fund has been an important driver of activity across Wales, though the precise balance of costs and benefits remains uncertain. Future evaluations would benefit from clearer targets and more robust monitoring systems to enable a fuller assessment of value for money.

Challenges identified

This evaluation identified several barriers for using and delivering Repair and Reuse Activities. Health and safety concerns, especially regarding the repair and borrowing of electrical items and power tools, were raised. The administrative burden of running projects and accessing funding was cited as a barrier by some Local Authorities and community organisations. The funding process was especially highlighted, with short and restrictive funding cycles limiting long-term planning. Recruiting and retaining experienced staff and volunteers presented a challenge for many groups.

Challenges in monitoring Repair and Reuse Activities were also identified during this evaluation; gaps in monitoring data for environmental impacts (e.g. tonnage of waste of carbon emissions avoided) and consistent monitoring of social outcomes made it difficult to quantify and compare impacts across all Repair and Reuse Activities.

The evaluation suggests that the Circular Economy Fund has supported significant growth in Repair and Reuse Activities across Wales, exceeding the original target of 80 hubs. This achievement reflects a combination of capital investment to establish premises, revenue funding to sustain delivery, and the enabling role of network organisations.

Evidence points to a range of positive outcomes for communities and individuals, including improved wellbeing, stronger social connections, skills development, and support for vulnerable groups. Environmental outcomes include waste diversion and carbon emissions avoided, though gaps in monitoring of earlier funded projects, limit the ability to fully quantify these benefits. Some economic impacts were identified, including user cost savings, volunteering and employment opportunities, and contributions to town centre footfall.

Cost-effectiveness could not be comprehensively assessed due to data gaps, but differences across business models are apparent. HWRC-linked schemes supported by capital funding show greater potential for financial self-sufficiency, while community-based initiatives deliver strong social value but remain reliant on ongoing revenue funding. Networks such as Repair Café Wales and Benthyg Cymru have been critical enablers, reducing barriers for grassroots groups and extending the reach of the programme.

Despite these achievements, challenges remain around sustainability, short-term funding cycles, administrative burdens, and inconsistent monitoring. Public awareness of Repair and Reuse Activities is uneven, with reuse shops relatively well-known but repair cafés, makerspaces and Libraries of Things less visible.

Recommendations

Data should be collected for cross-cutting social outcomes

Collect data on who engages with Repair and Reuse Activities to understand inclusivity and reach. An aim of the Circular Economy Fund is to encourage a wide range of people to participate in Repair and Reuse Activities, Welsh Government should ensure that engagement data is captured to understand who is using Repair and Reuse Activities which can inform future policy and funding decisions to ensure that Repair and Reuse is an option for all.

Existing social impact valuation methods should be adapted for Repair and Reuse Activities

Adapt existing wellbeing and social value methodologies (e.g. WELLBYs, TOMs) to quantify the social impacts of repair and reuse activities such as wellbeing, inclusion, confidence and skills development. Future monitoring should include pre- and post-participation wellbeing data and consistent reporting of volunteer and training outcomes to capture the full value of these activities, proportionate to the funding received to ensure feasibility.

Investment and research should be undertaken to improve impact calculators for Repair and Reuse Activities

Invest in research and development of standardised impact calculators for Repair and Reuse Activities to ensure consistent, transparent measurement of environmental benefits (e.g. avoided waste, GHG emissions). Building on existing tools such as the Repair Café and Edinburgh Tool Library Carbon Calculators would improve comparability and enable more accurate assessments of environmental impact.

Defined outcomes and targets

Strengthen monitoring frameworks with clear, standardised outcomes and targets across all projects. Each activity should, as a minimum, report the number and weight of items reused and estimated carbon savings, with additional indicators (e.g. repair success rates, user satisfaction, borrowing frequency, volunteer hours) relevant to project type. Consistent data collection would improve comparability, accountability, and future assessments of cost-effectiveness.

Monitoring of spend against targets

Establish systems that link expenditure directly to outputs and outcomes to improve cost-effectiveness assessment. This should include mapping data availability, identifying under-reporting due to volunteer or administrative burdens, and setting up frameworks for consistent data sharing between funders, networks and delivery partners.

Research should be undertaken to understand the sectoral impact of reuse retail and Circular Economy interventions

Commission dedicated research to understand the broader economic and sectoral effects of repair and reuse. This should include examining how reuse retail interacts with the charity retail sector, how repair cafés and Libraries of Things influence demand for commercial repair and hire services, and the overall impact on consumer behaviour. Findings would support circular economy policies that complement, rather than displace, existing markets.

Distinct funding pots should be developed to distinguish between projects of different types

Develop distinct funding pots for HWRC-linked, community-based, and network-supported projects to recognise their different financial structures and sustainability prospects. HWRC schemes often require capital investment but can become self-sustaining once embedded in waste-management systems, while community initiatives rely on ongoing revenue funding to support coordination, volunteers, and engagement. Dedicated funding streams would allow each model to be resourced appropriately and improve the evaluability of future programmes.

Developed a tiered grant structure for organisations applying for different levels of funding

Introduce a tiered grant structure proportionate to project size and ambition to lower administrative barriers for smaller organisations while maintaining accountability for larger grants.

Funding timelines

Longer funding cycles (three to five years) or rolling application windows would enable community organisations to plan more effectively, reduce volunteer stress, and ensure greater continuity of service delivery. Flexibility in managing underspends and timelines would improve value for money and support sustainable growth.

Report author: Sean Heron, Katie Lloyd, Susannah Lynn, Hannah Rigley, Scout Astley Jones, Iestyn Allen

Views expressed in this report are those of the researchers and not necessarily those of the Welsh Government.

For further information please contact:
Climate Change and Environment Research Team
Social Research and Information Division
Welsh Government
Cathays Park
Cardiff
CF10 3NQ

Email: ClimateAndEnvironmentResearch@gov.wales

Social research number: 110/2025
Digital ISBN: 978-1-80633-649-4