Shared Prosperity Fund
Shared Prosperity Fund 2022 to 2025
Shared Prosperity Fund 2025 to 2026
Blackpool’s £5.1 million investment plan for Shared Prosperity Fund was approved by government in December 2022.
In April 2022 we were allocated £5,885,134 from the government’s Shared Prosperity Fund designed to build pride in place and increase life chances across the UK, £770,711 of which was used to support the national 'Multiply' programme which targeted adults over the three years to improve their functional numeracy skills.
In order to receive the funding an investment plan was submitted detailing the proposed schemes, benefits to the community and expected outcomes.
Schemes
Following an evaluation process 13 capital and revenue project proposals were agreed under the themes of:
- People and skills
- Supporting local businesses
- Community and place
The schemes provided a range of variety from physical town centre regeneration, through to direct business support encouraging existing and new business development, low carbon schemes and community skills and improved learning projects for residents.
People and skills
Under the theme of people and skills the council provided £812,000 for three projects.
The Youth Hub, now referred to as The Platform, which opened on Cookson Street in 2023, was originally funded through Town Deal monies. From April 2024, supported by SPF monies, it continued to support disadvantaged 16 to 24 year olds to access the skills they need to progress in life and into work.
The Community Navigators scheme provided intensive wrap around support to unemployed Blackpool residents living in the most disadvantaged wards who are furthest away from the labour market and the 'Let’s Get Digital' project improved digital inclusion.
Supporting local businesses
£1.2 million was allocated to supporting local businesses through a variety of schemes including enhanced business support to increase entrepreneur and business growth and engagement.
Specialist business support around themes such as low carbon was provided.
Community and place
Finally, £2.89 million was allocated to community and place. This theme included activities such as:
- Eco-coaching for residents
- The establishment of an eco-hub
- An incentive for resident property owners to invest in flood protection measures
Another scheme provided infrastructure support to the voluntary, community, faith and social enterprise sector (VCFSE). The scheme worked to increase the capacity of the local VCFSE sector to deliver support to the community.
There are ambitions to improve public realm and wayfinding in the town centre. The feasibility of extending the Grundy Art Gallery and library and a review of the wider Queen Street area along with the continuation of Showtown’s community engagement project was also provided.
The projects were administered by the council and some delivered through a variety of Council departments and external organisations further to commissioning which was undertaken.
The UK Shared Prosperity Fund provided £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.
An evaluation report was provided by external consultants Arcadis. The report was very psoitive about the programme's impact on Blackpool, with the following key results:
Communities and place
Building resilient communities - Driving jobs growth, engagement, sustainability, and revitalisation:
- 700,000+ increase in footfall contributing £3.9 million to the local economy through increased expenditure
- £12.4 million estimated wellbeing saving from protecting properties against flooding
- £1.9 million impact from residents volunteering their time and/or gaining a qualification
- 1,147 tCO2e greenhouse gas emissions reduced.
Supporting local business
Driving growth and innovation - Boosting footfall, buisness productivity, job creation, and skills development for a sustainable future:
- 165 entrepreneurs supported
- £2.7 million impact created through business growth activities
- 125 gross FTE jobs created from pre-start to start and business growth
People and skills
Unlocking Potential - Supporting people and skills, and development to drive employment, education and lifelong opportunities:
- £5.6 million in wellbeing impacts from improved life satisfaction through skills development and participation in community groups
- 300+ Gross FTE jobs, contributing more than £6.2 million in value to the local economy
- 30 years: Quality-adjusted life years added to local resident population with health-related impact valued at £2.1 million.
For more information, visit UK Shared Prosperity Fund Prospectus
Shared Prosperity Fund 2025-2026
On Wednesday 30 October, following the Budget, the Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government announced “Continuing the UK Shared Prosperity Fund at a reduced level for a further year, providing £900 million; this transitional arrangement will allow local authorities to invest in local growth, in advance of wider funding reforms.”
On Friday 13 December 2024, Blackpool Council was informed that as the local authority forms part of a devolution deal area, the lead local authority will change accordingly to Lancashire County Combined Authority (LCCA). This means the funding for the 2025/26 year will go to the Lancashire County Combined Authority, a total of £21,748,007, with £3,301,752 capital and £18,446,256 as revenue. The Lancashire County Combined Authority is to be the accountable body for the funds and it will be the body reporting back into government. Blackpool Council will therefore report in to the Lancashire Combined County Authority for its own Shared Prosperity Fund activity.
The Shadow Lancashire County Combined Authority met on 21 January 2025 and agreed that:
- Blackpool Council would become the accountable body for the Shared Prosperity Fund on behalf of the Lancashire County Combined Authority.
- Allocations to the 14 Lancashire Local Authorities would be based on the allocations determined by the Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government to generate the overall £21,748,007 allocation
Due to the limited funding announced and short deadline to deliver, it was agreed by the Council Executive that the focus of the £2.4m spend allocation in Blackpool specifically, should be on the continuation of viable, existing Shared Prosperity Fund projects on which a detailed review has already been undertaken in relation to likely spend and outputs that will be generated by what had been a very successful programme.
This reduced risk of loss to what are proving essential schemes, whilst allowing the utilisation of established teams and the benefits that brings during short timescales for what will be a one-year programme
The following Blackpool schemes are underway:
- Bringing business support to communities and place
- Blackpool CAN
- Blackpool Culture Hub (Central Library and Grundy Art Gallery Extension)
- Business growth support
- Community Navigators
- Eco Hub and Eco Homes
- Multiply and Let's Get Digital
- Showtown laughter programme
- The Platform (Blackpool Youth Hub)
- Town centre and wider regeneration Interventions
UKSPF Technical Note