Take it away Scheme Credit Provider Contract

The Take it away Scheme is a publicly funded initiative designed to make it more affordable for people to get involved in learning and playing music by providing interest free loans of between £100 and £25,000 for the purchase of musical instruments, equipment, software any other associated goods or services they may need (such as a block of tuition) in order to get started or further develop their music practice.

The public funding invested by Creative United in the delivery of the Scheme primarily focuses on assisting parents over the age of 18 with the purchase of an instrument for a child under the age of 18 ("Under 18s scheme"), and young musicians aged 18-25 who can apply to use the scheme in their own right ("18-25s scheme"). However, the Scheme's overarching remit is to provide support and encouragement to musicians of all ages and abilities, as well as for musical instrument retailers and other organisations across the music sector.

The Scheme is open to all qualifying UK residents over the age of 18 (subject to status) and made available via a network of approved musical instrument retailers in England. A variation of the scheme in partnership with the Arts Council of Northern Ireland is available exclusively to Northern Ireland Residents over the age of 18.

The principal service required is the provision of Fixed-Sum Loan Agreements (where necessary, regulated by the Consumer Credit Act 1974) for:

(a) providing loans to Customers attending a Member Retailer's premises when applying for the loan for the purpose of acquiring musical instruments and related goods, services, and accessories;

and

(b) Customers acquiring musical instruments and related goods, services and accessories, through remote channels such as e-commerce and/or Mail-Order processes.