UK Community Renewal Fund: frequently asked questions
Frequently asked questions on the UK Community Renewal Fund.
Following the announcement of the successful Community Renewal Fund projects on 3 November 2021, the associated frequently asked questions can be found here.
Q1. Why wasn’t the UKCRF outcome announced in July?
We received over 1,000 applications in response to the launch of the UK Community Renewal Fund. Given the significant level of interest it took officials longer to complete the assessment process.
We previously stated that we would publish the outcome of bids from the end of July 2021 onwards. The UKCRF announcement is complementary to the announcements made for both the Levelling up Fund and Community Ownership Funds made at Spending Review .
In recognition of the three month delay to announcements and to enable successful bidders to have sufficient time in which to deliver their projects, we have amended the delivery timeline beyond 31 March 2022. Projects will now have until the 30 June 2022 to deliver. We will work with lead authorities (mayoral combined authorities, county councils or unitary authorities) and directly with applicants in Northern Ireland in managing any change to their projects.
Q2. To ensure the UK Community Renewal Fund funding reaches the most in need, you identified 100 priority places. What proportion of funding has been allocated to priority and non-priority places that have been successful?
Across the United Kingdom (Northern Ireland included within the non-priority places) 65% of funding has been allocated to priority places and 35% of funding has been allocated to non-priority places.
Q3. What percentage of funding has been allocated to each of the 4 investment priorities of the fund?
Across the UK funding has been allocated to each of the themes:
| Investment in skills | 25% |
| Investment for local business | 23% |
| Investing in communities and place | 20% |
| Supporting people into employment | 32% |
Q4. What proportion of the UKCRF fund recently announced has been allocated across England, Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland?
| England | £125,561,514 (62%) |
| Scotland | £18,428,681 (9%) |
| Wales | £46,855,257 (23%) |
| Northern Ireland | £12,362,975 (6%) |
Q5. How has UK government made the decision to award those splits across the UK?
Projects were assessed and ranked by score. As per the published prospectus, ministers were able to apply a number of considerations to the funding list. These considerations have been applied to ensure:
- a reasonable thematic split of approved projects
- a balanced spread of approved projects across the United Kingdom
- that the balance of approved projects between those focused on priority and non-priority places give appropriate regard to priority places
By applying these considerations, ministers have ensured that the UK government has delivered its objective of achieving a balance of funding across the whole of the UK and a greater level of alignment with the European Structural Investment Fund (ESIF). This will enable us to deliver a fund that provides a smooth transition from ESIF to UK Shared Prosperity Fund, and which contributes towards the government’s ambition to preserve and enhance the Union.
Q6. Why has the UK government made the decision to extend the delivery timeline for UKCRF by three months to 30 June 2022?
We have extended the delivery timeline for the UKCRF by 3 months to ensure that successful applicants still have the same delivery window as set out in the fund prospectus. This will ensure that successful bidders will have an 8-month period in which to deliver their programme/project activities and spend the grant funding.
Q7. What type of organisations have bid for funding?
Any legally constituted organisation delivering an appropriate service has been able to submit a bid. In Great Britain, bids were submitted via lead authorities. In Northern Ireland, applicants have applied directly to the UK government.
Bids have been received from a range of applicants, including but not limited to local authorities, universities, voluntary and community sector organisations and umbrella business groups in addition to private sector organisations and registered charities where they are providing a service to benefit other organisations or individuals.
Q8. Has the assessment process for UKCRF bids been proportionate when considering the level of funding available and delivery timescale?
Yes, we believe that the assessment process of UKCRF bids has been proportionate when compared to similar sized funds. It was run as an open competition with successful and unsuccessful bids identified using the published assessment criteria.
Q9. Is there an appeals process for bidders to UKCRF that are unsuccessful?
There is no appeals process for either the lead authorities in England, Wales and Scotland or individual project applicants in Northern Ireland bidding directly to the UK government.
Q10. If it isn’t possible for a lead authority or applicant to deliver a project as originally submitted can a replacement project be identified instead?
No, the original projects have been awarded funding based on an open and transparent assessment process as published on www.gov.uk.
Q11. When will grant funding payments be made to successful applicants in England, Wales, Scotland and Northern Ireland?
The first tranche of grant payments to lead authorities and successful Northern Ireland applicants will be made in December 2021 with the balance of grant made on completion from July 2022 onwards.
Q12. If a successful project has already commenced at risk, will the UK government provide retrospective funding?
No, the UK government will not provide any retrospective funding. Funding will only commence once bidders have received written confirmation that their bids have been successful.
Q13. You have stated that funding must now be spent by 30 June 2022. How do you define spent and what will happen if spend goes beyond 30 June 2022?
Spend by 30 June 2022 means all expenditure incurred by this date has been defrayed. Any expenditure incurred after this date relating to any activity post 30 June 2022 is not eligible. The final balance payment will be made on completion in arrears.
Q14. Will lead authorities and/or individual bidders who are unsuccessful be provided with feedback, acknowledging that the UKCRF is intended to be a testing ground for the UK Shared Prosperity Fund (UKSPF)?
UK government will provide high-level feedback to bidders via lead authorities or directly to Northern Ireland applicants. Whilst the UKCRF will help inform the design of the UKSPF through the funding of pilots, the funds are distinct in regard to design, eligibility, and duration.
Q15. Will the approach to delivery and the distribution of funding be the same under the UK Shared Prosperity Fund? Does having a successful UK Community Renewal Fund bid improve chances of having a successful UK Shared Prosperity Fund (UKSPF) bid?
The UKCRF provides additional funding to help local areas prepare for the introduction of the UKSPF. The UKSPF will be worth over £2.6 billion over the next 3 years. The UKSPF will rise to £1.5 billion a year by 2024-25. The government will publish further details on the UK Shared Prosperity Fund during this financial year. Whilst the UKCRF will help inform the design of the UKSPF through supporting people and communities, creating opportunities to trial new approaches and innovative ideas at the local level, the funds are distinct in regard to design, eligibility, and duration.
Q16. How will the Department for Levelling Up, Housing and Communities (DLUHC) operate when delivering within the devolved nations?
The UK government serves citizens across the whole of the UK and is therefore well placed to take a strategic view of UK-wide priorities, allocating funding to address relative need in different parts of the country, irrespective of administrative borders. To deliver on this, the UK government is working directly with the actors closest to the local needs of citizens to best deliver for communities and establishing strong and lasting relationships with local authorities across the UK.
We are continuing to strengthen the presence of the UK government in different parts of the country to better support local partners and deliver on the levelling up agenda across the UK. As part of this, we have established 3 new Cities and Local Growth teams who are based in Wales, Scotland, and Northern Ireland. These teams are working with the territorial offices as well as local partners to support effective delivery of the new funds.