UK Shared Prosperity Fund: Northern Ireland frequently asked questions
Frequently asked questions on the UK Shared Prosperity Fund (UKSPF) economic inactivity competition.
Applies to Northern Ireland
This page contains frequently asked questions on the UKSPF economic inactivity competition, to assist applicants when preparing their bids. This page should be viewed alongside the Economic Inactivity competition document and accompanying guidance. Please submit any further technical application questions to UKSPFNIApplications@levellingup.gov.uk.
Introduction
The following frequently asked questions (FAQs) are designed to support applicants responding to the UKSPF Northern Ireland economic inactivity competition.
Applicants may also look at the UKSPF prospectus, NI Investment Plan, competition document, assessment criteria, application guidance and additional information which will provide useful information on key aspects of the fund and its delivery.
We have also published a pre-recorded briefing taking potential applicants through the process and what we are looking for in prospective projects.
The FAQs will be updated where necessary, to reflect further questions and answers provided during the application process.
For more general UKSPF questions please visit UKSPF FAQs.
Application process
When does the application window open and what is the closing date?
You can register to apply via the online portal now by completing the registration form. It closes at 4pm on 27 January 2023.
Any bids or supporting documentation submitted after the deadline will not be assessed and will not be eligible to be considered for funding.
Can I start preparing my application offline?
Yes, we have published an offline application form, for applicants to start preparing their bids, but applications will only be accepted via the online portal.
How can organisations apply for this funding round?
Applications for Economic Inactivity funding are only being accepted via the online process. Details of the application process for other funding from the NI Investment Plan will be published separately. Before applying, applicants should also familiarise themselves with the UKSPF economic inactivity competition guidance that is also available on gov.uk.
Will there be technical support provided to help organisations to develop their bids?
Along with the UKSPF Prospectus, NI Investment Plan and application guidance , we have also published a pre-recorded briefing and accompanying slides.
These provide extra advice on how to answer the questions in the application, and what information and evidence you should provide.
How do I submit more than one application?
Each application is linked to a user’s email address. Only one email address can be used per application. To submit multiple bids, a separate email address is required for each application.
You can work on multiple bids simultaneously by logging in using the email address related to that application.
All applications are available to edit at any time before the application window closes at 4pm on 27 January 2023.
How do I provide the supporting documents?
Once you register to apply, you will receive an email which will provide you access to a shared folder. Please save all supporting document in this folder before 4pm on 27 January 2023.
Can we bid for a project to add onto an existing programme/project?
Yes, providing it meets the criteria set out in the competition documents. It will be important that the application demonstrates the additional value from the existing projects. All applications will be judged according to the published criteria.
Is there a word limit for any of the questions?
In certain sections of the application form, we have set out a guide as to the number of words that should be used. Please do keep within these guides where you can.
Does this competition allow for joint bids?
Yes - as set out in section 3.3 of the competition document, we encourage prospective applicants to consider working with other organisations to develop bigger projects to maximise impact and delivery flexibility.
Does a joint bid need to be underpinned by a legal agreement?
While there is no such requirement, one organisation will be required to act as a lead applicant who will enter into a funding agreement with DLUHC and is responsible and liable for the project including the activities of and costs incurred by partner organisations. The lead applicant will need to decide what agreements are required for their purposes.
As set out in section 3.3 of the competition document, each partner organisation will be required to submit a joint bid form declaring their support for the project.
Are the word counts set out in the application strict limits?
The word limits are guidance, and we suggest you keep within them, if you are are able to.
Can I submit multiple applications?
Yes. You can be part of multiple bids if you wish to be. You will need to be confident that your organisation can deliver all aspects of each bid, if all are selected.
Project specific questions
What type of projects will be funded?
We are interested in a range of projects covering key cohorts as set out in the competition template. We are interested in new and creative ways of supporting economically inactive people to move towards work, as well as tried and tested approaches.
Is there a date by which projects must have started? Can projects that have already launched also be funded?
Projects should set realistic start and end dates as well as credible milestones, taking account of the fact that all expenditure must be incurred by 31 March 2025. Such deliverability considerations will be factored into UK government’s bid assessment.
Projects that have already launched are eligible for support, where they meet the selection criteria and investment priorities set out in the prospectus, but applicants must clearly demonstrate the additional impact that funding would have on the scale, scope and/or quality of the existing project.
Applicants should note that projects will be assessed against considerations including that the project would not proceed without funding or could only be delivered on a smaller scale.
Costs are eligible for support from 1 April 2023.
What interventions does the project need to deliver against?
Applicants should aim to deliver against the NI33 – Employment Support for Economically Inactive People indicator and where relevant, one or more of the listed interventions set out in section 2.1 of the competition document.
What factors should be considered when designing the scope of the project?
Design factors for the projects are set out in section 2.4 of the competition document.
While continuing to support a wide range of provision, including established models of delivery where appropriate, we want to encourage creativity and new ways to support economically inactive people and create lasting impact on their life chances.
Suggested groups for the project to target are also listed in the competition document.
My project supports people in a rural area, what should I consider?
Rural access is explored in section 3.2.2 of the competition document, where we set out a range of additional barriers such as public transport or childcare availability that should be considered. you can.
As an organisation, we have limited experience in this area, does this rule us out?
As set out in section 2 of the assessment criteria, project may be likely to score higher if they have a track record for delivering relevant/comparable government projects.
Who is eligible to receive support via a UKSPF economic inactivity project?
Support is limited to people who are economically inactive. People who are unemployed and seeking work, or are employed on a part-time basis, are not eligible.
As set out in section 2.1 of the competition, economic inactivity refers to those without a job who have not sought work in the last 4 weeks and/or are not available to start work in the next 2 weeks although in practice many people who are inactive will have been so for a long time. This includes people not in work who are on and off benefits, subject to the following:
People in receipt of Universal Credit, Jobseeker’s Allowance or Employment and Support Allowance, who are in the ‘all work related requirements’ legal conditionality groups (i.e. Light Touch and Intensive Work Search), are considered economically active and are not eligible for UKSPF economic inactivity support.
Financial questions
Are you still eligible to bid for funding for a project you have already received government funding for?
Yes, however applicants must be able to demonstrate that the activity is either new or adds value to existing activity as set out in section 3.2.4 of the competition document
How should we provide information about our costings and planning?
The application process includes a supplementary information template for providing details of your estimated expenditure, outputs, delivery plan and risks. This supplementary information must be submitted with your application by the closing date at 4pm on 27 January 2023.
Where the project relies on other funding sources to be delivered in full, can the applicant commit to underwriting only the value of monies being requested from the UKSPF?
The Chief Finance Officer or equivalent must accept responsibility for meeting any costs over and above the UK government contribution requested, including potential cost overruns and the underwriting of any funding contributions expected from third parties.
If the project is reliant on other funding which is removed or reduced during the project’s delivery phase, the grant recipient must inform DLUHC as soon as possible. We may decide to reduce the UKSPF contribution in proportion if required.
Is there a mandatory requirement for match funding or could the bid cover the full cost of the project?
Match Funding is not mandatory, but all applicants are encouraged to consider match funding from the private, public and third sectors wherever possible. This will maximise the value for money and impact of the Fund. Further information is provided in section 3.2.6 of the competition document.
Where match funding forms part of your project, this form should be submitted.
If expenditure is incurred to progress plans during the application process, can this be accounted towards the spend profile for successful projects?
No, only project costs are eligible for inclusion in the application. The costs of preparing an application are not to be included.
As set out in section 2.3 in the competition document, we will accept eligible project expenditure incurred from 1 April 2023 at the applicant’s own risk prior to project approval.
Can an award from the UKSPF be used as match funding for other central government funding streams?
There are no restrictions on the use of UKSPF as match for other funding. Applicants are advised to check the individual application requirements for the specific fund.
When will funding from successful bids need to be spent by?
We would expect all funding provided to be spent by 31 March 2025.
Is there a minimum Value for Money criteria for applications to be successful?
No - we ask all applicants to set out realistic and achievable targets for their project. DLUHC will use the proposed outputs and outcomes, as well as the type of provision, target cohort(s) and overall funding package when assessing value for money.
Does all match funding have to be defrayed by end of March 2025?
As set out in the published guidance, we expect all UKSPF funding provided to be spent by 31 March 2025. Match funding could continue after this point but would not count towards the UKSPF project, its outputs, or outcomes nor value for money assessment.
What reporting of the financials are required?
We will require quarterly narrative reporting, and six-monthly quantitative reporting of project expenditure and outputs and outcomes. Further details are set out in the additional information for Northern Ireland guidance.
Procurement
Will the NI Public Procurement Policy (NIPPP) or Public Contract Regulations (PCR) be applicable to any procurement in Northern Ireland?
Projects in Northern Ireland should follow the requirements set out in the additional information. This means for public bodies following the PCR 2015, and for non-public bodies, securing value for money including through appropriate quotations/formal tender processes.
Subsidy / State Aid
Can I apply without submitting formal legal advice on subsidy control and State aid rules?
Yes, although all bids that have the potential to be a subsidy must consider how they will deliver in line with subsidy control principles or State Aid, as per UK government guidance. All applicants must establish if the direct award of funds could constitute a subsidy or State Aid, including to the applicant/grant recipient. It is vital that all applicants complete this section of the application form.
Please read Part 7 of the application guidance and section 3.2.7 of the competition document, which provides information around State Aid and Subsidy Control.
Output and outcomes
Are we able to define our own outputs or outcomes?
No. Applicants should review the full list of outputs and outcomes relevant to their project and use these to calculate their proposed targets. Please refer to the Interventions, objectives, outputs and outcomes for Northern Ireland and the UKSPF outputs and outcomes definitions for more information. We have set out the key outputs and outcomes that all projects must target in section 2.4 of the competition document.
Must all outputs and outcomes be achieved by 31 March 2025?
Expenditure must be fully incurred by 31 March 2025. Following completion of project activity, there will be a period during which projects will prepare their final returns to DLUHC, and any outcomes that are achieved during this period may be included. Projects should plan to capture outputs and outcomes up to and immediately after 31 March 2025. There is no requirement for projects to collect this data after final returns have been submitted.
What clawback arrangements around performance and expenditure will be imposed if projects fail / if other unavoidable issue arise?
Each grant must be used for the purpose intended. This will be subject to monitoring and a final review. Precise monitoring and assurance arrangements will be published at a later date.
When do I report on the outputs and outcomes of the project?
We will require quarterly narrative reporting, and 6-monthly quantitative reporting of project expenditure and outputs and outcomes. The additional information guidance provides further information.
Do we need to serve 250 beneficiaries or more over 2 years?
As a guide, although not an absolute floor, we anticipate that successful applications will be providing support to around 250 beneficiaries or more. This may be comprised of a number of linked, smaller projects where relevant. This will maximise value for money and flexibility.
Branding and publicity
What are the branding requirements for grant recipients?
The branding and publicity requirements are set out in the additional information for Northern Ireland guidance.
General questions
Are project evaluations needed?
Individual project-level evaluations may be appropriate but are not mandatory.
DLUHC expects to commission a place level evaluation for Northern Ireland, and evaluations of a number of interventions across the United Kingdom. The overall evaluation approach for UKSPF is still being drafted but grant recipients will be required to collect beneficiary data to help with this, and for equality monitoring purposes.
Is there an appeal process?
No. Where relevant, project applicants in Northern Ireland may make a complaint in line with the Department for Levelling Up, Housing and Communities’ complaints policy.
How do I report the outputs and outcomes on the Supplementary Information form, Annex A?
Please use the Northern Ireland outputs and outcomes document (PDF, 404KB) to support you.
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Intervention: This is the intervention you are delivering against. For example, NI33.
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Indicator type: This will either be an output or an outcome.
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Name: This is the title of the output or outcome. For example, ‘Number of economically inactive people engaging with support services’.
Who should we contact if we have any issues with the application form or process?
Please contact UKSPFNIApplications@levellingup.gov.uk if you have further queries.