Guidance

Pride in Place Programme: monitoring guidance

Updated 2 March 2026

The first submission for Phase 1 monitoring returns is in April 2026. The form will open on  the morning of Wednesday 1 April and close to submission at 23:59 on Thursday 30 April 2026. Phase 2 places’ first submission will be in October 2026 when Phase 1 will submit their second return.

From then on, every April all places will be required to submit their 12 month return, supplemented by a 6 month return every October.

This guidance is applicable to all monitoring returns, however, there may be some further changes ahead of the next submission date in October 2026. For those completing a return in April, please let us know any feedback you have following submission of your first return.

Context

The Pride in Place Programme is investing up to £20 million of funding and support to each place over the next 10 years. Through Neighbourhood Boards, in partnership with local authorities, the Programme empowers people to tackle deprivation and regenerate their local area.

Our monitoring process is designed to be light touch, placing as little administrative burden on places as possible, while ensuring that we have the right information we need to support places, demonstrate good value for money for the taxpayer and understand progress across the programme.

This guidance sets out what you will need to submit your monitoring return.

Responsibilities

Pride in Place Programme reporting must be completed online using a MHCLG digital tool. It is the responsibility of Local Authorities, in their current role as the Accountable body, to complete the monitoring return.

Officials who have registered to complete the monitoring return will receive an email inviting them to use the platform when it opens.

Once submitted, your returns are final. Please ensure the information you submit is as accurate as possible.

By submitting the form, you are confirming that your S151 (England and Wales), S95 (Scotland) or Chief Finance Officer (Northern Ireland) is content and has been able to conduct their responsibilities as the accountable body.

All information submitted as part of the monitoring return must be signed off by the Neighbourhood Board and be made publicly available following submission to MHCLG.

What we will ask for in the monitoring returns

In April 2026, local authorities, in their current role as the accountable body, will be asked to submit details of:

• capacity funding activities
• projects delivered using programme funding
• projects planned using programme funding
• neighbourhood board details
• forecast capacity funding spend
• forecast programme delivery funding spend
• outputs

For the mid-year return in October, local authorities will not need to forecast capacity funding spend, programme delivery spend or provide details on outputs.

Capacity funding activities

This section asks for information on all of the activities that were funded through the capacity funding you received.

You can add activities individually or group related activities together if appropriate, for example all travel related expenses.

You will be asked to name an activity and then select one of the following categories which the activity most relates to:

• training
• management costs
• consultancy
• community outreach and engagement
• other

You will then be asked to provide a brief description of the activity – please ensure that this description is clear and easy to understand, particularly for your Community Outreach and Engagement activities where we are keen to understand what the activity was, who it was targeted at and the estimated number of people who benefitted.

You will also be asked to tell us the cost of the activity – you should only tell us how much of the PiP capacity funding you spent rather than the overall cost of any activity.

Projects delivered using programme funding

This section asks for details of any projects that you have spent programme delivery funding on since you have received it.

In this first monitoring return phase 1 places will not have delivered any projects yet so will be able to skip this section.

You will be asked for the name of the project you have delivered. You will then be asked to select who the project was targeted at – you should select all that apply from the following:

• whole community
• children and young people
• local businesses
• older residents
• ethnic minority communities
• disabled residents
• voluntary, community and social enterprises

You will then be asked to provide a brief description of the activity, what you are trying to achieve and the estimated number of people who benefitted from the activity. Please ensure that the details you include are clear and easy for people who might not know the project to understand.

You will then be asked to identify the primary intervention that the project relates to from the following list:

• regeneration, high streets and heritage
• housing
• work, productivity and skills
• cohesion
• health and wellbeing
• transport
• safety and security
• education and opportunity

You will then be asked to identify whether the project relates to any other intervention.

You will be asked which type of organisation(s) has delivered the project:

• private sector
• voluntary, community and social enterprise
• local authority
• Neighbourhood Board
• housing association
• public sector
• statutory agency
• other

You will then be asked to provide the name of the organisation. Please avoid using abbreviations or acronyms so we are able to easily identify the organisation.

You will be asked for the total capital spend and the total revenue spend (of the entire project, including any match funding). You will then be asked to identify how much of the total capital and revenue spend was paid using the Pride in Place programme funding.

If the total amount of spend on a project exceeds the total amount of Pride in Place programme funding used, you will be asked for details on where the additional funding came from, selecting all that apply:

• local authority
• business investment
• devolved administration
• UK government funding
• other grant funding
• philanthropy
• other

You will be asked to tell us when the project started and when it ended/its estimated end date, as well as its current status.

You will be asked if you have used any of the programme delivery funding (separate to the capacity funding) for any management costs and, if so, you will be asked to give details.

Projects planned using programme funding

This section mirrors the previous section in terms of its structure.  In this section you will be asked about the projects or activities which you will spend programme delivery funding on in the next 6 months.

You will be asked for the name of the planned project or activity. You will then be asked to select tell us who the project is targeted at - you should select all that apply from the following:

• whole  community
• children and young people
• local businesses
• older residents
• ethnic minority communities
• disabled residents
• voluntary, community and social enterprises

You will then be asked to provide a brief description of the project/activity, what you are trying to achieve and the estimated number of people who will benefit from the activity. Please ensure that the details you include are clear and easy for people who might not know the project to understand.

 You will then be asked to identify the primary intervention that the project relates to from the following list:

• regeneration, high streets and heritage
• housing
• work, productivity and skills
• cohesion
• health and wellbeing
• transport
• safety and security
• education and opportunity

You will then be asked to identify whether the project relates to any other intervention.

You will be asked which type of organisation(s) will deliver the project:

• private sector
• voluntary, community and social enterprise
• local authority
• Neighbourhood Board
• housing association
• public sector
• statutory agency
• other

You will then be asked to provide the name of the organisation. Please avoid using abbreviations or acronyms so we are able to easily identify the organisation.

You will be asked for the total capital spend and the total revenue spend (of the entire project, including any match funding). You will then be asked to identify how much of the total capital and revenue spend will be  paid using the Pride in Place Programme funding.

If the total amount of spend on a project exceeds the total amount of Pride in Place Programme funding used, you will be asked for details on where the additional funding came from, selecting all that apply:

• local authority
• business investment
• devolved administration
• UK government funding
• other grant funding
• philanthropy
• other

You will be asked to tell us when the project will start and when its estimated to end, as well as its current status.

You will be asked if you have used any of the programme delivery funding (separate to the capacity funding) for any management costs and, if so, you will be asked to give details.

Neighbourhood board details

You will be asked whether anyone has left or joined your board in the last 6 months.

If anyone has left or joined your board, you will be asked to provide their name, their occupation and why they have left/have joined the board.

Forecast capacity funding spend

You will be asked what type of activities you expect to spend PiP capacity funding on over the next financial year and to select all that apply:

• training
• management costs
• consultancy
• community outreach and engagement
• other

Or

• we have no remaining capacity funding to spend

You will then be asked to provide an estimated spend on these activities in the next 12 months.

Forecast programme deliver spend

In this section you will be asked which interventions you plan to spend PiP Programme delivery funding on over the next financial year, selecting all that apply:

• regeneration, high streets and heritage
• housing
• work, productivity and skills
• cohesion
• health and wellbeing
• transport
• safety and security
• education and opportunity

For each intervention you select you will be asked to forecast how much capital and how much revenue funding you are forecasting to spend in the next 12 months.

Outputs

 In this section we will ask for reporting against a number of outputs. This list is not exhaustive and there will be some interventions that do not have corresponding outputs. This does not mean that we do not value these interventions, this approach aligns with our goal of reducing the burden on places as much as possible.  This streamlined list helps us to align with wider government reporting structures.

You should not chose your projects based solely on trying to achieve these outputs if they don’t align with your Pride in Place plan and vision. We encourage you to continue to collect your own programme delivery outputs separate to this list.

You will be asked to select any of the following which apply – once you select an output it will ask you to then give details on the next screen:

• new or improved retail, hospitality, industrial and office spaces
  • retail space – m²
  • hospitality space - m²
  • office space - m²
  • industrial space - m²
• digital infrastructure upgrades for commercial and residential areas
  • number of new public wi-fi hotspots installed
  • number of additional commercial units with broadband access of at least 1GB
  • number of additional residential units with broadband access of at least 1GB
• permanent full-time equivalent (FTE) jobs created or safeguarded
  • number of permanent full-time equivalent jobs created
  • number of permanent full-time equivalent jobs saved
• green retrofits to residential, public and commercial buildings
  • number of non-domestic buildings with green retrofits completed
  • number of residential units with green retrofits completed
• new or improved training, educational and childcare, facilities
  • number of learners, trainees and students enrolled at new or improved education and training facilities
  • number of learners, trainees and students gaining certificates, graduating completing courses at new or improved education and training facilities.
  • number of students completing Further Education or Higher Education courses
  • amount of capacity created in new or improved training, education and childcare facilities (number of places created)
• new or improved cultural, community and sports spaces
  • number of heritage buildings renovated or restored
  • number of new or improved community and culture centres
  • number of new or improved sporting and recreational facilities
  • amount of new green and blue space improved or created - m²
• new or improved public realm - m²
• improved existing residential units
• new or improved healthcare space - m²
• new or improved public transport

What will we do with the data provided?

Information requested from places will be used for the following purposes:

• to ensure we have a programme level view of progress across all places
• to monitor that the Programme’s monies are being spent on local priorities, and project/activity delivery is in line with expectations detailed in Investment Plans
• to support additional performance management processes, e.g. project change processes and formalised end of investment period progress reviews
• to ensure effective programme communications, allowing us to collect and highlight examples of successful delivery and impact in places

Performance management 

Places will have a primary point of contact in MHCLG’s Communities Delivery Unit who will work with them to deliver high-impact, long-lasting local change. Monitoring information will allow MHCLG Delivery Managers to better understand progress and provide effective practical support across government to help places achieve their delivery goals.

Any concerns should be discussed with your delivery manager, who will work with you to resolve these issues or find an alternative solution.

A formalised progress review will take place at the end of each investment period. These review points will allow MHCLG to consider whether the Programme’s 3 strategic objectives are being delivered effectively and how a place’s expenditure is progressing against their forecast. Further details on overall programme monitoring will be set out in forthcoming guidance shortly.

Project change process

The programme enables places to have flexibility to respond to local need and opportunities. Any requests to make changes, such as to boundaries or introducing off-menu interventions, must be within the spirit of the programme and underpinned by evidence of community support. Places should work with their MHCLG delivery managers to understand the options available. If you do not know who your delivery manager is, you should contact: pippcorrespondence@communities.gov.uk.