Integrated Settlement Readiness Checks
Details of the Integrated Settlement Readiness Checks.
Applies to England
Documents
Details
To help the Mayoral Strategic Authorities (MSAs) to prepare, and to provide assurance to central government of readiness for the Integrated Settlements, the Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government (MHCLG) appointed external assessors to design and deliver a “readiness check” with the MSAs prior to receiving their first Integrated Settlements.
Two waves of checks were delivered. The first wave took place with Greater Manchester Combined Authority and West Midlands Combined Authority prior to their Integrated Settlements commencing in April 2025. A second wave took place with the Greater London Authority, Liverpool City Region Combined Authority, the North East Combined Authority, South Yorkshire Mayoral Combined Authority and West Yorkshire Combined Authority.
Scope and criteria
Both waves of readiness checks explored readiness1 in 4 thematic areas:
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Strategy, planning, and governance: strategic and outcomes planning processes, governance structures, and risk and controls framework in the context of the Integrated Settlement.
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People and capability: existing capacity and capabilities to deliver the Integrated Settlement, including aspects of roles, responsibilities, and collaboration.
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Financial and performance management: financial planning, budgeting, forecasting, and performance management processes in relation to the Integrated Settlement.
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Reporting and evaluation: reporting mechanisms, data management practices, and evaluation framework to determine the MSAs ability to track progress, demonstrate impact, and meet central government requirements.
The assessment of readiness was made against the 4 readiness levels agreed with MHCLG:
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Emerging/foundational: Significant gaps in processes/activities; what exists is largely ineffective.
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Developing/building: Processes/activities are in place but are not consistent; some improvements are required to make them effective.
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Core/embedded: Processes and activities are effective and consistently applied to an overall high standard. Core expectations for readiness are being met.
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Advanced/leading: Processes and activities reflect good practice.
Key principles
The key principles that were applied in conducting the readiness check were:
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Forward-looking and holistic: the readiness check is not a simple ‘tick box’ exercise. It aims to understand the overall readiness of each MSA, considering both existing processes and future plans, rather than assessing individual processes/activities in isolation.
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Focuses on Integrated Settlement delivery: the core question the readiness check sought to help MSAs answer is: “Fundamentally, are we in a place to deliver the Integrated Settlement?” The readiness check focused on the specific needs and challenges of the Integrated Settlement, rather than providing a general evaluation of the organisation.
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Builds on existing strengths: certain processes specifically required to deliver the Integrated Settlement (for example, a process for managing funding flexibilities) understandably may not yet be in place. The criteria therefore include how existing processes and activities can support implementation of the Integrated Settlement. The criteria focus on the effectiveness of these processes rather than prescribing what form they take.
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Enables development: the readiness check was not a binary pass/fail assessment. The framework was designed to identify areas of strength and areas for potential development, supporting the MSA to self-reflect on progress to date and priorities.
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Focuses on the things that matter: this is a broad framework of criteria. In conducting the readiness check, the project team sought to quickly identify the areas that may require action and collaborate with the MSA on the required plans.
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Flexible: Finally, in developing the criteria the project team were mindful of differences between the MSAs and their context.
Approach to recommendations
Each readiness check makes a number of recommendations. Recommendations were prioritised in Wave 1 as follows:
1. Urgent priorities to move to ‘core’ consistently and support implementation of the FY 2025/26 Integrated Settlement – these recommendations should be addressed as soon as possible.
2. Priorities to move to ‘core’ consistently, however delivery of the Integrated Settlement can commence without these – these recommendations should be addressed in year 1 of the Integrated Settlement.
3. Stretch opportunities to develop beyond ‘core’ into ‘advanced’ – recognising it is not realistic or necessarily desirable to aspire to be ‘advanced’ in all areas given finite resources.
Implementation of the “urgent” and “priority” recommendations is being overseen by the HM Government Integrated Settlement Programme Boards.
Recommendations were prioritised in Wave 2 as follows:
1. Priority 1 - Actions to be completed, evidenced and approved by 31 March 2026.
2. Priority 2 - Actions that will support implementation of the Integrated Settlement to be completed by 30 September 2026.
3. Priority 3 - Actions to move to ‘embedded’ but can be addressed across Year 1 of the Integrated Settlement.
4. Priority 4 - Enhancement opportunities for consideration to move from ‘embedded’ to ‘leading’
Implementation of Priority 1, Priority 2 and Priority 3 recommendations is being overseen by the HMG Integrated Settlement Programme Boards.
1The findings and recommendations of the readiness checks are based solely on the information available at the time of the checks readiness for the Integrated Settlements at the point in time the readiness checks.
Updates to this page
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Added update on second wave of Integrated Settlement readiness checks - added summaries for Greater London Authority, Liverpool City Region Combined Authority, the North East Combined Authority, South Yorkshire Mayoral Combined Authority and West Yorkshire Combined Authority.
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First published.