£2.6 billion of funding allocated to level up UK

The government has said that communities across the UK will benefit from £2.6 billion of funding being allocated to help spread opportunity and level up the country.

The Department for Levelling Up, Housing and Communities’ Shared Prosperity Fund will see places that need it most draw up plans this year to deliver on their local priorities, based on a conditional allocation of funding over the next three years.

This could include regenerating rundown high streets, fighting anti-social behaviour and crime, or helping more people into decent jobs - helping to revive communities, tackle economic decline and reverse geographical disparities in the UK.

Local areas across England will see £1.58 billion, Scotland £212 million, Wales £585 million and Northern Ireland £127 million made available under the fund. The funding delivers on the UK government’s commitment to match the previous EU funding from the European Social Fund and European Regional Development Fund.

According to the government, the new fund will free communities from the bureaucratic, rigid and complex processes of the EU Structural Funds, and, instead of regional agencies, funding decisions will be made by elected leaders in local government, with input from local members of parliament and local businesses and voluntary groups.

Levelling Up Secretary Michael Gove said: “We have taken back control of our money from the EU and we are empowering those who know their communities best to deliver on their priorities. The UK Shared Prosperity Fund will help to unleash the creativity and talent of communities that have for too long been overlooked and undervalued. By targeting this funding at areas of the country that need it the most, we will help spread opportunity and level up in every part of the United Kingdom.”

This fund is in addition to other levelling up funding, including the £4.8 billion Levelling Up Fund, £150 million Community Ownership Fund and £3.6 billion Towns Fund. On top of this, an additional £3.7 billion is being made available to councils this year.