Guidance

ERDF programmes: retaining documents

Guidance about retaining documents for European Regional Development Fund (ERDF) programmes.

• From: Department for Levelling Up, Housing and Communities and Ministry of Housing, Communities & Local Government (2018 to 2021)
• Published: 26 November 2012
• Last updated: 30 January 2013 — See all updates

Applies to England

Pre-2000 ERDF programmes

For projects which received grant from ERDF programmes before 1999 to 2000, applicants are advised that records for revenue-only projects can now be destroyed (given that the 3-year period for retaining records has now passed).

However, where the applicant has received funding for a capital project, records should be kept for the economic life of the project as outlined in the offer letter.

2000 to 2006 ERDF programmes

For projects that received revenue and/or capital grants from the 2000 to 2006 ERDF programmes, many of those programmes are still in the process of being closed and the document retention period has not yet been set.

Those programmes which have now been closed are shown below and the date for retention of documents for revenue only projects is shown. This list will be updated and extended as further programmes are closed.

• East of England Objective 2: retain revenue documents until 31 January 2015
• Peterborough Urban: retain revenue documents until 31 January 2014
• Derby Urban: retain revenue documents until 31 December 2014
• Stockwell Urban: retain revenue documents until 31 May 2014
• Burnley Urban: retain revenue documents until 31 January 2014
• South West Objective 2: retain revenue documents until 30 November 2014
• Thames Gateway Urban: retain revenue documents until 30 June 2015
• South Bristol Urban: retain revenue documents until 12 March 2016
• Halifax Urban: retain revenue documents until 31 October 2015
• Hetton and Murton Urban: retain revenue documents until 31 January 2016
• Merseyside objective 1 programme: retain revenue documents until 2 July 2017
• Cornwall and Isles of Scilly objective 1 programme: retain revenue documents until 7 July 2017
• North West objective 2 programme: retain revenue documents until 5 January 2018
• South Yorkshire Objective 1 programme: retain revenue documents until 30 April 2018
• Yorkshire and Humber Objective 2 programme: retain revenue documents until 1 June 2018
• London Objective 2 programme: retain revenue documents until 28 August 2018
• South East Objective 2 programme: retain revenue documents until 28 August 2018
• North East Objective 2 programme: retain revenue documents until 28 August 2018
• East Midlands Objective 2 programme: retain revenue documents until 28 August 2018
• West Midlands Objective 2 programme: retain revenue documents until 1 October 2018

In common with other programmes, records for capital projects should be kept for the economic life of the project as outlined in the offer letter.

2007 to 2013 ERDF programmes

For projects that have received funding from the 2007 to 2013 programmes, all project applicant organisations must ensure that all original documents relating to the project and its implementation and financing are retained until 3 years beyond the closure of the programme; or 31 December 2025, whichever is the later.

Contacts

For more information regarding document retention on ERDF programmes which operated in 2000 to 2006 or earlier please send your questions to the ERDF Closure Team via email at ERDF00-06Correspondence@communities.gov.uk.

For more information regarding the 2007 to 2013 ERDF programmes, contact the local growth delivery teams. Contact details are provided on the programmes and resources page.

Published 26 November 2012
Last updated 30 January 2013 + show all updates

1. 30 January 2013

   Added information about Hetton and Murton Urban programme.

2. 25 January 2013

   Added information about Thames Gateway Urban, South Bristol Urban and Halifax Urban projects.

3. 26 November 2012

   First published.