UK Shared Prosperity Fund Approval for Na h-Eileanan Iar

18 January 2023 at 10:01:04

The UK Shared Prosperity Fund is a central pillar of the UK Government's Levelling Up agenda and provides £2.6 billion of funding for local investment by March 2025. The Fund aims to improve pride in place and increase life chances across the UK investing in communities and place, supporting local business, and people and skills.

For more information, visit the UKSPF Prospectus  .
All areas of the UK are to receive an allocation from the Fund and for the adult numeracy programme, Multiply. The allocations are via a funding formula rather than a competition.

The UK Shared Prosperity Fund (UKSPF) replaces the European Structural and Investment Funds, and the UKSPF is one of the key funds to support the UK Government's Levelling Up Agenda.
The UK Government seeks to draw on the insight and expertise of local partners, including businesses, the voluntary sector and Members of Parliament to target interventions where most appropriate.

The Fund's interventions have therefore been planned in the context of the UKSPF Local Partnership Group, and will be delivered by the Comhairle as the lead local authority, working closely with local partners and the Scottish Government.

Cllr Donald Crichton Chair of the Comhairle's Sustainable Development Committee, said: 'The Comhairle is delighted to have been awarded funding of £2.2 million from the UK Government's Shared Prosperity Fund following successful validation of the Na h-Eileanan Iar Investment Plan to March 2025. Projects to be implemented from the Communities and Place, Local Business, and People and Skills Investment Priorities range from Support to Low Income Households, Support for Young Enterprise, and, Support for Skills Development.'

The funds will be delivered locally through the three main Investment Priorities for the UKSPF:
Communities and Place;
Supporting Local Business; and
People and Skills.

Multiply is a new up to £559 million programme, to help transform the lives of adults across the UK, by improving their functional numeracy skills through free personal tutoring, digital training, and flexible courses, over the next three years.

Comhairle nan Eilean Siar will receive £2.2m UKSPF over three years (2022-2025). This allocation comprises core funding of £1.8m, and ring fenced Multiply funding of £388k.
The Investment Plan (below) sets out how the UKSPF Local Partnership Group will focus its funding within each of the investment priorities, and how the UKSPF contributes to Na h-Eileanan Iar local needs and opportunities.