The UK shared prosperity fund (UKSPF) is the successor to EU structural funds. EU structural funding, which averaged £2bn per year from 2014 to 2020, was aimed at supporting regional economic development across the UK, including strengthening employment support and boosting skills. There are serious concerns about the design and development of the UKSPF, including the following.
- Less funding will be available.
- We have yet to see details of the fund, even though EU structural funding is already tapering off.
- The government has said it doesn’t want funding to be spent on skills and employment in England in the first two years.
We’re working with a group of civil society organisations to put our concerns to the government. Read our blog about our concerns to find out more.