In 2011, devolved countries refused to add their dormant account funds to the pot for Big Society Capital, despite pleas from the UK government. Two years on, Vibeka Mair looks at what they did with the money instead. 

When Big Society Capital was being developed, Francis Maude, minister for the Cabinet Office, urged Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland to add their countries’ dormant accounts to capitalise it.

He argued that while the money from Big Society Capital can be accessed UK-wide, only dormant bank accounts from England were contributing. But, the devolved countries ignored Maude’s plea, and instead devised their own plans for their dormant accounts. Here’s what they decided to do -

Image by Carine Appleby