The UK Shared Prosperity Fund is a central pillar of the UK government's Levelling Up agenda and provides £2.6 billion of national funding for local investment by March 2025.
How UKSPF funding will be spent in district
The council's £1 million investment plan to help residents facing cost of living pressures and to improve skills and job prospects in the district was approved in December 2022.
The three-year funding programme enables the council to further work with local organisations to support residents in sustainable ways to feed their families and pay essential bills.
Examples of this work could include advice on cooking on small budgets or assistance with an unexpected expensive cost, for example repairing or serving a boiler.
Improving job prospects
In the third year of the funding programme, we will be looking to provide support for local areas to fund skills needs. We will continue working with local businesses to identify in what areas they are unable to fill vacancies due to skills shortages and will respond accordingly. Additionally, green skills courses will be a focus targeted around ensuring we have the skilled workforce to achieve the government's net zero and wider environmental ambitions.