Research and analysis

North East Lincolnshire UKSPF evaluation: interim findings

Updated 3 December 2025

Applies to England

1. Executive summary: North East Lincolnshire interim findings

1.1 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 in the UK 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 North East Lincolnshire, based on research conducted between November 2024 and February 2025. It outlines the progress made to date and presents interim evaluation findings.

1.2 Key process evaluation findings

Intervention design

• The investment plan was developed by a core group of North East Lincolnshire Council (NELC) officers, drawing on local strategies and knowledge from officers across different teams in the Council. The process was supported by the Development and Growth (DG) Board which is made up of cross-sector representatives, including the VCSE and local employers. Interviewees highly valued board members’ knowledge of the local context.
• When developing the investment plan, NELC prioritised funding for business support to continue interventions previously delivered through European Funding. Other year-one projects continued Community Renewal Fund activities, and open calls in years two and three aimed to generate a broader range of interventions.

Portfolio implementation

• Across all 3 investment priorities, the portfolio of interventions has a strong focus on developing capacity and supporting sustainability.
• Two primary routes for commissioning were used: directly procured provision and open calls.
• Proposals responding to the open call were assessed by an independent grant assessment panel made up of diverse representatives, utilising local knowledge to ensure intervention projects met the needs of the area. Interviewees broadly saw the open call as a success, enabling a wider range of applicants to bring forward ideas that reflected the needs of the wider community.

Intervention delivery

• Projects were overseen internally by relevant local authority teams, with delivery primarily conducted by contracted delivery partners / grant recipients.
• Interviewees valued the flexibility of UKSPF, which allowed for tailored interventions and the provision of revenue grants.
• Some pre-existing services funded by European funds were scaled back due to the amount of UKSPF funding available. Some interviewees would have liked more clarity from the programme’s guidance.
• Some people and skills projects experienced difficulties recruiting participants due to barriers like transport and childcare. In response they adapted delivery models to support better engagement.

Data collection and monitoring

• The open call for proposals required flexible funding management, enabled by NELC officers’ experience with complex funding. A local reporting and performance management system, tailored to each project type, supported delivery. Most organisations found the process manageable with UKSPF core team support and noted easier data collection compared to European programmes.
• A dedicated UKSPF programme team was established within the Economy and Growth Team, to oversee delivery and reporting to NELC senior leaders, who provided strategic direction and final approval of intervention projects.
• UKSPF operates alongside other complementary funding streams in the area, including Towns Fund, Future High Streets Fund, and Levelling Up Fund.

1.3 Progress to date: expenditure, outputs and outcomes

North East Lincolnshire was awarded £5.3 million of UKSPF. Between the programme’s launch in 2022 and September 2024, 30.4% of the total allocation had been spent. Some delays in spend related to capital projects which had taken longer to complete than anticipated, interviewees were confident that all funds would be spent by the end of the programme period.

In the Communities and Place investment priority, good progress has been made towards attainment of output targets, particularly concerning the number of local events supported, community engagement, and regional regeneration. Supporting Local Businesses progress has been strong for low or zero-carbon energy infrastructure and Growth Grants delivery. People and Skills output targets for engagement in life skills development had been met. Where progress has been slower this is often a result of the time lag in data availability.

Analysis of MI and qualitative data indicates strong progress towards achieving UKSPF outcomes. Investment under Communities and Place resulted in high levels of engagement with campaigns and events and successfully supported job creation and retention. However capital projects were behind target due to delays including some relating to planning permission. In Supporting Local Businesses priority, projects made substantial progress towards achieving outcomes for low or zero-carbon operations, although progress towards business support outcomes was slower, with qualitative data suggesting that prevailing economic challenges had influenced this. Projects under the People and Skills priority exceeded targets to reduce structural barriers to employment and skills provision, and interviewees highlighted examples of job entry and progress into training.

1.4 Early impact findings

Early impact analysis is based on programme MI data to September 2024 and feedback from stakeholder interviews. At this stage of the evaluation, further analysis is needed to draw definitive conclusions regarding impacts. However, initial data collection indicates some promising developments:

• Under the Community and Place, improved footfall and citizen engagement have been recorded, largely attributed to arts and cultural events and improvements to local businesses and community assets. Campaign activity has contributed to the expansion of tourism. However, at this stage of the evaluation, data on the specific contribution made by Community and Place interventions to perceptions of local towns and tourist attractions remains limited.
• Investment in People and Skills has delivered positive outcomes, reducing structural barriers to employment and improving access to skills provision. Many of the interventions target priority sectors, and early qualitative data suggests they may help meet local skills needs. Research with employers in the next case study phase of the evaluation will explore this further.
• MI data indicates that energy-related projects delivered under the Supporting Local Business have increased energy efficiency and economic sustainability. Qualitative feedback indicates that the programme aim of increased longevity and sustainability of local enterprises will be met.

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