UK Shared Prosperity Fund: overview (1)
This page provides an overview of the details provided through the additional information section for the UK Shared Prosperity Fund.
We may update, amend or add to this additional guidance and all users must ensure that they are using the most up to date versions of all documents which will be available on the Fund website.
1.1 The UK Shared Prosperity Fund (UKSPF) additional information sets out requirements and guidance to councils and mayoral authorities, collectively these will be referred to as (LLAs) lead local authorities throughout this document, which are delivering the UKSPF.
1.2 This document is only for use by LLAs in England, Scotland and Wales. In Northern Ireland the UK government is leading delivery of the UKSPF and has worked with Northern Ireland partners to develop an investment plan and delivery arrangements. We are committed to delivering a fund that is less bureaucratic and can operate flexibly compared to previous European Structural Funds. We will continue to work with partners across Northern Ireland to ensure that the Fund’s rules, processes and procedures reflect this, and current information is published here.
1.3 The UKSPF has been designed to provide funding to local leaders with the necessary freedom and autonomy to seize new opportunities and respond to the challenges unique to each of their communities. This fund is committed to supporting devolution and reducing bureaucracy, allowing more money to be spent directly on driving better outputs and outcomes for local people.
1.4 The flexibility provided allows LLAs to use their existing and established structures to assume the accountability traditionally associated with central government. LLAs have been asked to develop investment plans using a broad range of interventions which best meet the needs of their communities. They are expected to ensure that they are designed in a way that delivers value for money and ensures plans are accountable to their own local stakeholders as the Fund progresses. LLAs can choose the routes to market best for them, handling their own procurement methods or instead using their own in-house expertise to provide interventions. As the UKSPF progresses they will run the day-to-day operations of the programme to reach the outputs and outcomes.
1.5 Within this model of devolved delivery proper oversight of the UKSPF in LLAs is essential to the Fund’s delivery. This document sets out DLUHC’s expectations of Section 151 Officers in England and Wales, and Section 95 Officers in Scotland who will be asked to take responsibility and ensure the UKSPF is properly spent, in line with their legal duties. Throughout this document, they will be referred to jointly as Chief Finance Officers. Chief Finance Officers are responsible for the administration of the financial affairs of their LLA and must lead on its financial functions and ensure they are fit for purpose. To carry out these duties Chief Finance Officers must be professionally qualified and suitably experienced. Chief Finance Officers across the UK will have a vital role in overseeing the Fund, making sure that the plans that LLAs come forward with are deliverable and then taking responsibility, within the delegated delivery model, for their effective delivery.
1.6 The additional information sets out requirements over the lifetime of the UKSPF and should assist lead local authorities in setting up delivery systems and processes. It is not required to scope and prepare Investment Plans for submission to the Department for Levelling Up, Housing and Communities (DLUHC).
1.7 A UKSPF frequently asked questions (FAQ) document has also been published. This document addresses many questions that have been raised by LLAs since the publication of the UKSPF prospectus.
1.8 The information in this document should complement and support LLAs in conversations with their relevant DLUHC Area Teams. These conversations should act as the LLAs’ first point of reference for questions regarding the UKSPF Additional Information. LLAs can also contact the Department for Levelling Up, Housing and Communities at ukspfenquiries@levellingup.gov.uk.
Updates to this page
Last updated 8 March 2023 + show all updates
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Updated wording as UKSPF additional information for Northern Ireland has now been published.
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Adding Welsh
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Added translation