Local needs fund
Updated 7 June 2023
Applies to England
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This publication is available at https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/education-investment-areas/local-needs-fund
The aim of the local needs fund is to provide 24 priority education investments areas (PEIAs) with additional funding for bespoke interventions to improve attainment at key stages 2 and 4. We will invest up to £42million to support this. The PEIAs were chosen using priority education investment areas: selection methodology.
Purpose of funding
Local needs funding will be used up to March 2025 to pay for activities set out in delivery plans for each PEIA. DfE regional directors will develop a delivery plan for each of the PEIAs, informed by local partnership boards.
All activities funded will be evidence-based and targeted to address local needs to make improvements in attainment at key stages 2 and 4.
Allocating funding
Funding allocations are indicative, and the Department will be able to reduce or reallocate funding to:
- accelerate progress of areas and activities that are proving successful
- manage risks of underspend
Funding has been allocated using the following principles:
- two thirds of the funding has been allocated to the 12 new areas
- one third to the 12 previous opportunity areas
All areas have been allocated £750,000 as a starting point, with additional funding allocated based on the number of state-funded schools in each area (as of March 2022).
Funding allocation by PEIA
These areas have been chosen as PEIAs:
| Priority education investment area | Proposed funding allocation |
|---|---|
| Blackpool | £986,000 |
| Bradford | £1,834,000 |
| Derby | £1,276,000 |
| Doncaster | £1,431,000 |
| Fenland and East Cambridgeshire | £1,147,000 |
| Halton | £1,852,000 |
| Hartlepool | £1,425,000 |
| Hastings | £884,000 |
| Ipswich | £1,008,000 |
| Knowsley | £1,834,000 |
| Liverpool | £3,700,000 |
| Middlesbrough | £1,763,000 |
| Norwich | £1,002,000 |
| Nottingham | £2,598,000 |
| Oldham | £1,319,000 |
| Portsmouth | £1,834,000 |
| Rochdale | £2,296,000 |
| Salford | £2,510,000 |
| Sandwell | £2,918,000 |
| Scarborough | £1,034,000 |
| Stoke-on-Trent | £1,233,000 |
| Tameside | £2,492,000 |
| Walsall | £2,776,000 |
| West Somerset | £847,000 |
| Total | £42 million |