Research and analysis

Redbridge: UKSPF summary evaluation plan

Published 4 April 2025

Applies to England

Summary of the local place

Redbridge is a London borough in the northeast of the city and was established in 1965. The borough is popular for its green spaces and transport connections to central London. With an abundance of parks, arts, sports, schools and shopping, Redbridge is a popular location for families. Redbridge recognises the importance of investing in outdoor spaces, and in summer 2024 was recognised by Keeping Britain Tidy for having nine of the best parks in the United Kingdom (UK), including Hainault Forest and Valentines Park^{[footnote 1]}. It is made up of 161 neighbourhoods, and the areas of Woodford, Wanstead and Ilford are particularly popular within Redbridge.

Map of Redbridge

Redbridge covers approximately 22 square miles and has a population of 309,800 as of April 2024^{[footnote 2]}. According to census data the population of Redbridge grew by 11.2% between 2011 and 2021^{[footnote 3][footnote 4]}.This was a greater percentage increase than in the overall population of London (7.7%). This put Redbridge in the top 10% most densely populated English local authority areas at the last census. The population is diverse, the third most diverse borough in London, with 25% of people who move to Redbridge coming from outside of the UK^{[footnote 5]}.

Redbridge has a diverse economic landscape with wholesale/retail trade, real estate and construction being lead sectors in the area^{[footnote 6]}. Recent reporting suggests that the large number of small and medium enterprises operating in the borough support the local economy, and a significant number of new companies highlights healthy entrepreneurial activity^{[footnote 7]}. However, as of December 2023, the employment rate for those aged 16-64 was 69% a decrease from 72.3% the previous year^{[footnote 8]}. The percentage of the Redbridge population who were economically inactive increased from 23.7% in December 2022 to 28.7% in December 2023^{[footnote 9]}.

As with many London boroughs, there is disparity in the affluence of areas within Redbridge. The 2021 Census found that 15 of the 161 neighbourhoods in Redbridge were in the 20% least income-deprived in England, and these are typically in the east and northwestern parts of Redbridge. However, 11 of the 161 neighbourhoods were in the 20% most income deprived in England, and more deprived areas are found in the southern and northeastern parts of Redbridge^{[footnote 10]}.

Unit of analysis

United Kingdom Shared Prosperity Fund (UKSPF) funded interventions in Redbridge focus on supporting individuals and businesses in the local community. The evaluation will use a bottom-up approach, assessing the impact on beneficiaries and then aggregating results at the borough level, as a top-down approach was deemed unsuitable due to the small scale of the interventions. The evaluation will cover all areas of the borough, and it will assess all funded projects across the three UKSPF priorities, using survey data and qualitative interviews that showcase project-level impacts.

Methodological approach

We will adopt a mixed-methods approach that combines primary research, monitoring information analysis and secondary data analysis, underpinned by a contribution analysis framework.

Process evaluation

The evaluation framework for Redbridge aims to provide a balanced evidence base by triangulating data from various sources, such as monitoring, secondary data, and primary research. The study will involve a document review of relevant local strategies and plans to understand the design, objectives, and implementation of interventions. Stakeholder interviews with Redbridge staff, local partners, and business representatives will gather insights into the effectiveness of programme delivery. Additionally, secondary and monitoring data will be explored with a view to compare local challenges and assess how well Redbridge interventions reached its target beneficiaries.

Impact evaluation

Redbridge’s UKSPF investment covers all three of the UKSPF investment priorities: Supporting Local Business, Communities and Place and People and Skills. The interventions delivered are expected to lead to a range of outcomes and impacts such as increased volunteering to address local challenges, improved access to support for business and marketing activity, and increased confidence and skills for people looking for work. The impact evaluation will assess how these goals are achieved through primary research methods. To evaluate the success of volunteering projects, interviews will be conducted with volunteers and beneficiaries to gauge skills development, community impact, and employment outcomes. If feasible, a survey will be distributed to volunteers. However, this may not be possible due to sample size limitations and potential challenges in obtaining contact details and conducting the survey. Similarly, interviews with delivery providers will measure how effectively funding has supported local needs. For business support projects, a survey of beneficiaries will examine how services helped businesses grow, improve products, and increase revenue. Lastly, the evaluation will assess skills and employment projects through surveys to track beneficiaries’ skill acquisition and job outcomes over time, supplemented by Qualitative Comparative Analysis (QCA) where possible.

Economic evaluation

The economic evaluation of Redbridge’s UKSPF delivery will follow the National Audit Office’s 4Es framework: economy, efficiency, effectiveness, and equity.

For Economy, the evaluation will assess whether inputs were purchased efficiently, mainly through interviews with project management staff, and determine if additional in-kind or financial support was leveraged. Efficiency will be measured by assessing how inputs are converted into outputs, using benchmarking against similar programmes and cost-per-outcome analyses, such as the cost per business supported or additional jobs created. Effectiveness focuses on how well outputs are translated into outcomes and impacts, using quasi-experimental approaches and contribution analysis to identify if UKSPF interventions directly led to positive results. Beneficiary surveys will also help measure effectiveness. Lastly, Equity will assess how well the interventions benefited vulnerable groups, using programme monitoring data and interviews with delivery providers and beneficiaries to evaluate if support reached those most in need.

Data to support the evaluation

Primary data collection

The evaluation plan for Redbridge’s UKSPF projects relies heavily on primary data collection, including beneficiary surveys and interviews. If feasible, online surveys will target different beneficiary groups such as volunteers, supported businesses, and individuals who received employment and skills support. Tailored questions will address their experiences, achieved outcomes, and attribution to UKSPF funding. For vulnerable groups, telephone or Teams interviews will be offered, with options for parents to participate on behalf of their children.

Semi-structured interviews will be conducted with Redbridge City Council staff, delivery providers and beneficiaries to gather qualitative insights. Delivery provider interviews will explore implementation challenges and project impacts, while beneficiary interviews will assess the quality of support, business performance, employment, and wellbeing outcomes.

Secondary data sources

Census and Index of Multiple Deprivation (IMD) data will help, alongside monitoring data, to determine how far Redbridge’s interventions have reached those in greatest need. Additional secondary data on wider borough level outcomes such as claimant count data will also be used where possible, likely in a contextual manner.

1. Nine Redbridge Parks have been awarded the Coveted Green Flag Award - officially recognised for being the best parks in the country since 2011 ↩

2. Redbridge Population ↩

3. How life has changed in Redbridge: Census 2021 ↩

4. Redbridge population change, Census 2021 – ONS ↩

5. Welcome to Redbridge. Redbridge Council ↩

6. Analysis Report: Economic and Business Activity in Redbridge - UK Data ↩

7. Analysis Report: Economic and Business Activity in Redbridge - UK Data ↩

8. Redbridge’s employment, unemployment and economic inactivity – ONS ↩

9. Redbridge’s employment, unemployment and economic inactivity – ONS ↩

10. Exploring local income deprivation - ONS ↩