Guidance

Subsidy Control Act 2022: Streamlined Routes

Streamlined Routes (also known as Streamlined Subsidy Schemes) are a type of subsidy scheme made by the UK government for use by any UK public authority.

• From: Department for Business, Innovation, Science and Trade, Department for Business and Trade and Department for Business, Energy & Industrial Strategy
• Published: 13 December 2022
• Last updated: 14 April 2026
  Show all updates

  1. 14 April 2026

     'Housing Streamlined Route', 'Housing Streamlined Route guidance', and 'Housing Streamlined Route: explanatory memorandum' added as attachments.

  2. 23 January 2026

     Explanatory memoranda added for the 'arts and culture' and ‘community and regeneration' streamlined subsidy schemes.

  3. 13 January 2026

     ‘Arts and culture Streamlined Route guidance’ was replaced with an updated version.

  4. 12 January 2026

     Finalised Streamlined Routes documents added to the page for 'community and regeneration' and 'arts and culture'. These were laid in Parliament on 12 January 2026.

  5. 28 March 2025

     As of 6 April 2025, the monetary thresholds for what qualify as SMEs under the Companies Act 2006 are changing. DBT has updated the Streamlined Routes guidance to confirm that the correct definition of SMEs should be understood by reference to the Companies Act 2006 as was in force in January 2023.

  6. 11 November 2024

     Subsidy control email address for Department for Business, Energy & Industrial Strategy (BEIS) replaced with one for Department for Business and Trade (DBT).

  7. 9 January 2023

     Finalised Streamlined Routes documents added and laid in Parliament on 9 January 2023.

  8. 13 December 2022

     First published.

Documents

Arts and culture Streamlined Route

Unnumbered act paper

PDF, 267 KB, 12 pages

Order a copy

This file may not be suitable for users of assistive technology.

Request an accessible format

If you use assistive technology (such as a screen reader) and need a version of this document in a more accessible format, please email digital@businessandtrade.gov.uk. Please tell us what format you need. It will help us if you say what assistive technology you use.

Arts and culture Streamlined Route guidance

PDF, 347 KB, 24 pages

This file may not be suitable for users of assistive technology.

Request an accessible format

If you use assistive technology (such as a screen reader) and need a version of this document in a more accessible format, please email digital@businessandtrade.gov.uk. Please tell us what format you need. It will help us if you say what assistive technology you use.

Arts and culture Streamlined Route: explanatory memorandum

PDF, 256 KB, 5 pages

This file may not be suitable for users of assistive technology.

Request an accessible format

If you use assistive technology (such as a screen reader) and need a version of this document in a more accessible format, please email digital@businessandtrade.gov.uk. Please tell us what format you need. It will help us if you say what assistive technology you use.

Community and regeneration Streamlined Route

Unnumbered act paper

PDF, 304 KB, 15 pages

Order a copy

This file may not be suitable for users of assistive technology.

Request an accessible format

If you use assistive technology (such as a screen reader) and need a version of this document in a more accessible format, please email digital@businessandtrade.gov.uk. Please tell us what format you need. It will help us if you say what assistive technology you use.

Community and regeneration Streamlined Route guidance

PDF, 329 KB, 29 pages

This file may not be suitable for users of assistive technology.

Request an accessible format

If you use assistive technology (such as a screen reader) and need a version of this document in a more accessible format, please email digital@businessandtrade.gov.uk. Please tell us what format you need. It will help us if you say what assistive technology you use.

Community and regeneration Streamlined Route: explanatory memorandum

PDF, 265 KB, 5 pages

This file may not be suitable for users of assistive technology.

Request an accessible format

If you use assistive technology (such as a screen reader) and need a version of this document in a more accessible format, please email digital@businessandtrade.gov.uk. Please tell us what format you need. It will help us if you say what assistive technology you use.

Research, development and innovation Streamlined Route

Unnumbered act paper

PDF, 222 KB, 16 pages

Order a copy

This file may not be suitable for users of assistive technology.

Request an accessible format

If you use assistive technology (such as a screen reader) and need a version of this document in a more accessible format, please email digital@businessandtrade.gov.uk. Please tell us what format you need. It will help us if you say what assistive technology you use.

Research, development and innovation Streamlined Route guidance

PDF, 326 KB, 38 pages

This file may not be suitable for users of assistive technology.

Request an accessible format

If you use assistive technology (such as a screen reader) and need a version of this document in a more accessible format, please email digital@businessandtrade.gov.uk. Please tell us what format you need. It will help us if you say what assistive technology you use.

Energy usage Streamlined Route

Unnumbered act paper

PDF, 254 KB, 18 pages

Order a copy

This file may not be suitable for users of assistive technology.

Request an accessible format

If you use assistive technology (such as a screen reader) and need a version of this document in a more accessible format, please email digital@businessandtrade.gov.uk. Please tell us what format you need. It will help us if you say what assistive technology you use.

Energy usage Streamlined Route guidance

PDF, 360 KB, 41 pages

This file may not be suitable for users of assistive technology.

Request an accessible format

If you use assistive technology (such as a screen reader) and need a version of this document in a more accessible format, please email digital@businessandtrade.gov.uk. Please tell us what format you need. It will help us if you say what assistive technology you use.

Local growth Streamlined Route

Unnumbered act paper

PDF, 154 KB, 16 pages

Order a copy

This file may not be suitable for users of assistive technology.

Request an accessible format

If you use assistive technology (such as a screen reader) and need a version of this document in a more accessible format, please email digital@businessandtrade.gov.uk. Please tell us what format you need. It will help us if you say what assistive technology you use.

Local growth Streamlined Route guidance

PDF, 342 KB, 39 pages

This file may not be suitable for users of assistive technology.

Request an accessible format

If you use assistive technology (such as a screen reader) and need a version of this document in a more accessible format, please email digital@businessandtrade.gov.uk. Please tell us what format you need. It will help us if you say what assistive technology you use.

Housing Streamlined Route

PDF, 251 KB, 18 pages

This file may not be suitable for users of assistive technology.

Request an accessible format

If you use assistive technology (such as a screen reader) and need a version of this document in a more accessible format, please email digital@businessandtrade.gov.uk. Please tell us what format you need. It will help us if you say what assistive technology you use.

Housing Streamlined Route guidance

PDF, 289 KB, 26 pages

This file may not be suitable for users of assistive technology.

Request an accessible format

If you use assistive technology (such as a screen reader) and need a version of this document in a more accessible format, please email digital@businessandtrade.gov.uk. Please tell us what format you need. It will help us if you say what assistive technology you use.

Housing Streamlined Route: explanatory memorandum

Ref: CO/EM/2025.1

PDF, 197 KB, 6 pages

This file may not be suitable for users of assistive technology.

Request an accessible format

If you use assistive technology (such as a screen reader) and need a version of this document in a more accessible format, please email digital@businessandtrade.gov.uk. Please tell us what format you need. It will help us if you say what assistive technology you use.

Details

Streamlined Routes are voluntary mechanisms that can be used by UK public authorities to give certain subsidies.

There will be no need to assess subsidies given under a Streamlined Route against the subsidy control principles. That is, providing they comply with conditions set out in the Streamlined Route.

We have made 6 Streamlined Routes. The most recent was made and laid before Parliament on 14 April 2026. Two were made and laid before Parliament on 12 January 2026. Three were made on 5 January 2023 and laid before Parliament on 9 January 2023.

The 6 Streamlined Routes are for:

• community regeneration (subsidy control number: SC11450)
• arts and culture (subsidy control number: SC11449)
• research, development and innovation (subsidy control number: SC10780)
• energy usage (subsidy control number: SC10781)
• local growth (subsidy control number: SC10782)
• housing (subsidy control number: to be confirmed)

We have published accompanying guidance to help you interpret and comply with the Streamlined Routes. You should consider the guidance documents when deciding to give subsidies under a Streamlined Route.

For further information, email subsidycontrol@businessandtrade.gov.uk.