Research and analysis

Redbridge 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 authority 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 opportunities.

Redbridge received an allocation of £2.9 million for 2022-2025 across three investment priorities: £1.51 million for Communities and Place, £0.48m for Supporting Local Businesses, and £0.88 million for People and Skills. The Greater London Authority (GLA) transferred funding for Redbridge’s Community and Place and Supporting Local Businesses investment priorities directly to the Council. Funding for the People and Skills priority was managed through the Sub-Regional Partnership (SRP), Local London.

Redbridge is a densely populated and rapidly growing borough in northeast London, home to a population of 309,800. A defining characteristic is its significant diversity; 47.3% of residents identify as ‘Asian, Asian British, or Asian Welsh’, and the borough is home to over 100 places of worship. Redbridge has a vibrant entrepreneurial environment, with 14,745 businesses, 94.3% of which are micro-businesses. However, the borough has experienced a decline in its employment rate and a simultaneous rise in economic inactivity.

Key impact evaluation findings

Communities and Place

Increased footfall

Redbridge council reported that over 600,000m2 of green or blue space was created or improved with the funding, and 500 trees were planted. UKSPF funding, as part of wider funding for the Hainault Forest restoration programme, enhanced the space with new pathways and upgraded facilities. This resulted in a significant rise in engagement, with annual car park usage more than doubling from 49,000 in 2022 to 112,000 in 2024. The success of the project is highlighted by £700,000 in café income which was a new source of income at the forest. The forest now attracts a wider audience, successfully providing a valuable space for community wellbeing, nature, and fitness.

Increased volunteering

UKSPF funding successfully expanded volunteering, supporting over 3,000 opportunities to increase community engagement. At Hainault Forest, the restoration project created an extensive volunteer programme, engaging 1,715 people and attracting new participants to nature-based roles. In Ilford Lane, a community project surpassed its target by recruiting 39 volunteers for local improvements. This initiative also supported the formation of a self-sustaining volunteer group, named ‘Mind, Body, Soul’. The group has been supported to secure additional funding to continue their work, meaning sustained opportunities for volunteer-led activities in the Ilford Lane area.

Increased participation in community life

UKSPF-funded initiatives successfully increased community participation, particularly in Ilford Lane. The project supported 76 community events such as litter picks and planting activities, far exceeding targets. The community group, ‘Mind, Body, Soul’ was formalised in the funding period and this group effectively engaged more isolated residents, such as South Asian women, in activities such as coffee mornings, gardening and chair yoga. Their activities were supported by funding from Lifeline, a partner organisation for parts of the work in Ilford Lane. Residents in Ilford Lane also co-created local assets such as murals, designed specifically to represent local history and the local population.

Improved accessibility

The council’s MI data reports that the target for improved perceived or experienced accessibility was surpassed. Improving accessibility was a focus for the UKSPF funded activity at Hainault Forest, for example: accessible toilets were installed, ramps were added to previously inaccessible old buildings, and a fully accessible pathway network was built. Beyond the forest, an old building, Queen Victoria House, was fully refurbished to accommodate people with disabilities before opening as a local business and enterprise hub for the community. This included the addition of a lift, a ramp, accessible toilets and accessible fire refuge areas. Whilst the building did not open to the public in the original funding window, the UKSPF extension funding will be used to move the plans forward.

Supporting Local Businesses

Business births

A total of 111 jobs were created, 337 potential entrepreneurs provided with assistance to be enterprise ready, and 121 new enterprises created. This was achieved through the provision of non-financial business support involving advice and guidance to entrepreneurs to become startup ready. New entrepreneurs were targeted to provide foundational knowledge, mentoring and guidance to establish their businesses, with the intention of improving their business performance. This supported the success and sustainability of local businesses, for the long-term benefit of local economic activity.

People and Skills

Improved confidence

The UKSPF-funded People and Skills intervention, delivered through the Work Redbridge service, successfully increased residents’ confidence to enter the labour market. A combination of one-to-one guidance and skills courses, such as English language support, led to improved CVs, interview skills, and positive attitudes towards employment. Monitoring data shows 71 people reported increased employability. While the targeted project design was broadly successful in reaching diverse groups, challenges were noted in engaging economically inactive residents and specific minority communities, indicating a need for more extensive outreach and resources.

Skills development

The People and Skills intervention successfully helped individuals gain soft skills through the UKSPF-funded Work Redbridge service. A key partnership with Community Action Redbridge provided crucial volunteering opportunities, enabling beneficiaries, especially the long-term unemployed, to build confidence, professional networks, and familiarity with work structures. This support directly led to paid employment for some participants. Beneficiaries also received holistic support, including signposting to health and language services, and reported feeling highly motivated and supported.

Increase in economic activity

The Work Redbridge service has proven effective in helping economically inactive residents secure employment. Through a holistic and tailored approach, including one-to-one guidance, CV support, and skills training, the intervention successfully transitioned diverse individuals into work. This includes refugees and the long-term unemployed. Qualitative evidence is strong, with four of five interviewees gaining employment, and case studies show marked improvements in participant confidence and long-term employability.

Key economic evaluation findings

The UKSPF programme in Redbridge demonstrated adequate, and in some places, high value for money across the 4Es framework.

• Economy - Adequate: The council utilised internal delivery to improve the effectiveness of funding and followed standard council procedures for procurement, including a three-quote system and robust evaluation to reach multiple suppliers, but not for all projects. However, effective project controls were put in place with delivery partners once contracts were awarded and this ensured that the interventions delivered provided adequate value for money in terms of economy.

• Efficiency - Adequate: Looking across all interventions, assessment of the UKSPF investment in Redbridge demonstrated an adequate level of value for money in respect of efficiency. The interventions largely met or exceeded their output targets within the allocated budget, achieved cost efficiency in delivering outputs, and successfully combined funds in many cases to enhance output achievements.

• Effectiveness - High: Overall, the effectiveness assessment of the UKSPF investment in Redbridge demonstrated a high level of value for money, as the interventions largely met or exceeded their outcome targets within the allocated budget and successfully identified and addressed local needs.

• Equity - High: The interventions were well-targeted to the most appropriate beneficiary groups and areas, and the outcomes achieved were highly relevant to the local needs.

Key learning

The following key learning and lessons have been identified, which will support design and delivery of future local growth funds:

• Improve upfront clarity: Project design and delivery were significantly hindered by a long delay in receiving final definitions for outputs and outcomes from central government. Future programmes need clear, upfront guidance on metrics and how pan-London and local strategies will align.

• Extend project timelines: The short, one-year funding cycles were a major constraint, limiting effective planning and creating significant concerns about the long-term sustainability of the projects’ positive impacts once funding ends.

• Prioritise local collaboration: The most successful interventions were driven by strong local partnerships. This included using trusted local suppliers, collaborating across council teams, and working with community groups to solve problems and deliver more effective support.

• Streamline data and monitoring: While a central coordinating role was vital, delivery teams found some data requirements to be excessive, unclear, and difficult to resource, with “ridiculously tight” reporting deadlines. Monitoring should be proportionate and have realistic timelines.

• Plan for long-term sustainability: A critical lesson is the need to plan for what happens after funding ends, as there are concerns about the ongoing maintenance of assets and the continuation of successful community work.