Research and analysis

Newcastle-under-Lyme UKSPF evaluation: impact and value for money findings – executive summary

Updated 28 August 2026

Applies to England

Introduction

The UK Shared Prosperity Fund (UKSPF) was launched by the UK Government in April 2022. It provided £2.6 billion funding for local investment by March 2025, with an additional £900 million available for 2025-26. Local decision-makers worked with their local communities and partners to deliver interventions under three investment priorities: Communities and Place, Supporting Local Businesses, and People and Skills. UKSPF empowered places to identify and build on their own local strengths and needs, with a focus on enhancing community pride and increasing life chances.

Newcastle-under-Lyme (NUL) was selected as a case study of a small authority with low per-capita UKSPF funding, but a legacy of EU structural funds. Across 2022–25, NUL was allocated £4.9 million to deliver a UKSPF portfolio aligned with the Council Plan 2022–26 and complementary Towns Fund and Future High Streets investments. Delivery concentrated on town centres with select projects across parks and heritage, Voluntary, Community, and Social Enterprise (VCSE) capacity, business innovation, and employment support.

Key impact evaluation findings

Communities and Place

Improved facilities and perceptions

Capital and environmental enhancements (e.g. Clough Hall Park, canal paths, library and hub refurbishments) were associated with improved amenity perceptions. Nature and greenspace enhancements were funded by UKSPF which improved the aesthetic across public greenspaces in NUL, leading to positive responses from residents. Data from the Community Life Survey indicated a relatively high level of satisfaction with green spaces in NUL, 71% reported they were satisfied with green and natural spaces in the local areas.

Increased footfall and usage

A strong programme of arts/culture/heritage events (74 delivered) added to town-centre engagement, including 7,500 visitors to New Vic’s Philip Astley four-week series of shows. Stakeholders were mostly positive that they generated visitor footfall through the town.

Expanded volunteering

Capacity-building activities created 250 new volunteering roles (vs. target 18), notably through Volunteering for All and nature projects (e.g. Wild about Brampton). Cross intervention collaboration also created awareness of additional volunteering opportunities. For example, students from some of the business projects were signposted to other UKSPF projects running local events and business festivals. The Community Life Survey results further signalled an expanded volunteering capacity across NUL with the proportion of respondents in NUL stating they participated in any form of volunteering in the last month increased from 27% in 2023/24 to 36% in 2024/25 (above the England average of 33%).

Supporting Local Businesses

Business births

UKSPF support contributed to the establishment of 44 new enterprises, with ecosystem benefits from coaching, networking, and business festivals. Of these, 25% were through strengthening the local entrepreneurial ecosystems. This suggests that the projects helped bring businesses together to benefit from synergies (e.g. facilitating contractor and supplier introductions) and minimise costs. These simple adjustments across the business ecosystem have led to business births. Some businesses that accessed support were able to establish new operations within NUL. The results are predominantly for micro-sized businesses.

Innovation and productivity

Several outcomes exceeded initial targets outlined in the NUL investment plan. For example, 51 organisations adopted new/improved products/services (against a target of 12) and there were 154 Research and Development (R&D)-active enterprises (against a target of 12). There was evidence of positive outcomes from projects delivered by the local universities, and that support led to additional/ sped up product development and/ or fast-tracked delivery of new products.

Job creation

The UKSPF programme supported the development of 115 FTE roles via business support, with internships converting to hires and a greater graduate recruitment appetite among SMEs. The ADTIA project for example delivered strong outcomes for both students and businesses. Student interns reported feeling significantly more employable after their placements, and a few converted internships into paid roles. Businesses also highlighted the programmes are not only improving individual career prospects but also strengthening the local talent pipeline for future recruitment. UKSPF-funded projects were reported to have increased employment among participating businesses, even though the borough’s overall employment rate has remained flat.

People and Skills

Progress towards employment and skills

Projects particularly targeting economically inactive residents/students delivered interpersonal skill gains (539 people) and basic skills achievements (78). Delivery partners interviewed highlighted that volunteers built soft skills through their voluntary work. This helped some volunteers find permanent employment across the borough.

Confidence to engage in the labour market

Building confidence among the local residents of NUL went hand in hand with the engagement of the economically inactive population across the borough. Confidence building has occurred through developing skills, support networks (sense of community) and in some cases friendships through the project engagement. Participants reported improved confidence through volunteering and practical training; students in Flourish indicated high gains in communication and job-readiness.

Key economic evaluation findings

A Value for Money assessment using the NAO 4Es framework indicates overall high VfM for the NUL programme.

• Economy – High. Delivery achieved within total budget with proactive procurement and flexible reprofiling to manage slippage. NUL’s UKSPF programme was underpinned by robust procurement and award processes, ensuring that funded projects were selected on the basis of quality, value for money, and alignment with local priorities.
• Efficiency – High (Adequate on combining funds). Output targets met/exceeded across priorities; unit costs were in line with benchmarks for similar programmes. The majority of interventions delivered good value for money, and the council’s flexible approach allowed for some minor reallocations of resources across investment priorities.
• Effectiveness – High. Outcomes largely met/exceeded expectations; provision aligned with local needs via partner engagement. Interventions were designed to address clearly identified local needs, and the partnership approach with local organisations ensured that support was tailored and accessible.
• Equity – High (Adequate on targeting breadth). Support reached intended groups through open call commissioning and partnerships. The open prospectus approach and transparent commissioning process enabled funding to reach a wide range of local organisations, including smaller VCSE groups.

Key learning

The following key lessons have been identified, supporting the design and delivery of future local growth funds:

• Flexibility drives responsiveness: Programme flexibilities enabled partners to respond to demand and manage timing issues.
• Open commissioning widens reach: Transparent processes drew in established and new partners, expanding capacity and sectoral coverage.
• Partnerships and networks multiply impact: Regular cross-project touchpoints improved beneficiary journeys and uptake.
• Data and attribution need planning: Early design for evaluation would strengthen future VfM conclusions.
• Address multi-barrier needs more deeply: Strong general employability gains can be augmented with integrated health and wraparound support.