Research and analysis

City of Edinburgh UKSPF evaluation: interim findings

Updated 3 December 2025

Applies to Scotland

Executive summary: Edinburgh interim findings

Introduction

The UK Shared Prosperity Fund (UKSPF) provides a total of £3.5 billion of funding for local investment over 4 years (2022 to 2026), with all places receiving an allocation via a funding formula. Local decision-makers work with their local communities and partners to deliver interventions under three investment priorities: Communities and Place, Supporting Local Businesses and People and Skills.

This interim report presents the emerging findings from the place level evaluation of UKSPF in Edinburgh, based on research conducted between December 2024 and March 2025. It outlines the progress made to date and presents interim evaluation findings.

Key process evaluation findings

Intervention design

• The timelines to submit a finalised investment plan to UK government were perceived to be very tight. As a result, the council had limited capacity to consult partners on the plan and set a commensurably short deadline for applications. This created pressure for delivery providers to prepare applications quickly.
• Delivery providers had mixed feelings on the council’s approach to overall design, which was to make eligibility as broad as possible. While many welcomed the flexibility, a minority felt this design tried to achieve too much with limited resources.
• The council allocated some UKSPF funds to City Region partners. These projects were primarily focused on feasibility studies and delivery took slightly longer than expected. Stakeholders valued the learning generated but noted limited impact to date.
• Upfront confirmation of the total funding amount to be allocated to each delivery provider for all three years enabled providers to better plan and execute their projects and gave delivery staff greater job security relative to other funding streams which often operate on a year-by-year basis.
• A lack of clear guidance from MHCLG at the design stage was highlighted, particularly around output and outcome definitions. Final definitions were issued after targets had been set, leading to misalignment and some targets becoming unachievable.

Portfolio implementation

• Council and delivery providers stated that the appointment of Capital City Partnership (CPP) as grant manager was beneficial to the smooth running of the programme. CCP developed a close working relationship with providers to streamline reporting and ensure a standardised approach.

Intervention delivery

• There was sufficient experience and skills to oversee the UKSPF programme effectively. Delivery providers also sought training to supplement their existing skills. This was believed to have contributed to successful delivery.

Data collection and monitoring

• A centralised data and monitoring approach provided consistency. This ensured alignment with UKSPF requirements and facilitated impact monitoring. Some providers initially found this system challenging to navigate. CCP therefore provided support, including one-to-one training and guidance documents.

Programme oversight

• Edinburgh built on existing governance structures to oversee UKSPF delivery, with the Edinburgh Partnership (a well-established community planning body) providing programme oversight. The Partnership includes representatives from the Council, public agencies, local communities, and third and private sector organisations.

Multiply

• Multiply was overseen by a team of three full-time officers in the council’s Lifelong Learning team. The team had limited capacity to assess grant applications, so organisations were referred by CCP, rather than through open tendering. The programme aimed to engage a wide range of participants, including parents/ guardians and children; Gypsy/Travellers; prisoners; and Council employees on lower incomes.

Progress to date: expenditure, outputs and outcomes

As of September 2024, the Council has committed £10.3 million in UKSPF funding across 42 interventions. Monitoring data indicates strong progress overall, particularly under the Communities and Place and the People and Skills investment priorities. Many output targets have been met or exceeded, including public realm improvements, volunteering opportunities, and support for skills and employment. Outcomes data show early signs of positive impact, including improved accessibility, reduced CO2 emissions, and increased community engagement. Performance under Supporting Local Businesses has been mixed, with strong uptake of training and non-financial enterprise support, but limited progress on exports and new business creation. There are several outputs and outcomes against which no progress has yet been recorded. Some of these will require more time to be realised, which may explain the limited progress at the time of writing.

Early impact findings

Early impact evidence indicates progress in several areas, though further data is needed to fully assess outcomes. Notable early results include high uptake of volunteering opportunities, with over 6,596 supported up to September 2024, representing 95% of the total programme target of 6,932. Skills development interventions have exceeded expectations, with higher-than-expected demand for training, coaching, and qualifications. For example, Edinburgh set a target of supporting 2,601 people to engage in life skills courses, with 3,409 people reached so far. Business support activity is underway, with qualitative evidence of positive engagement, but no data yet on new jobs or business creation.

The outcomes and impact of UKSPF in Edinburgh will be explored in more depth in the final evaluation report.