Research and analysis

Watford UKSPF evaluation: interim findings

Updated 3 December 2025

Applies to England

Executive summary: Watford 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 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 Watford, based on research conducted between August and November 2024. It outlines the progress made to date and presents interim evaluation findings.

Key process evaluation findings

Intervention design

• The devolved nature of UKSPF resulted in local agency and enabled the Watford Borough Council (WBC) UKSPF lead team and the wider steering group to adopt an innovative approach to address some of Watford’s most pressing economic challenges.
• Watford’s existing cohesive governance and established networks bring together stakeholders from business, education, healthcare, and the public sector for coordinated decision-making. This approach has fostered strong working relationships and short communication lines, enabling a rapid response to address local needs and ensuring that UKSPF interventions were well-coordinated, transparent, and complementary.
• The main constraint was the nationally set, compressed timetable for intervention design, limiting more meaningful consultation, reducing the collaborative potential of the UKSPF design, and forcing a rapid prioritisation of interventions. However, these challenges were mitigated to some extent by the effectiveness of local networks and working relationships.

Portfolio implementation

• Stakeholders viewed supplier engagement activities as effective, successfully generating sufficient interest and quality of applications from potential delivery providers.
• Document reviews and interviews with stakeholders confirm that the Council’s outreach efforts achieved a broad awareness of the funding opportunities among organisations operating in key priority areas.
• WBC and Hertfordshire officers stated that the selection process worked well and that robust justifications for decisions were given through a fair scoring process for each application.

Intervention delivery

• Nine of the 18 interventions were delivered at the county level. All project activities meet the UKSPF requirements and address clear gaps in local support service provision.
• Interviews with delivery providers show that the key factors that supported the effective UKSPF intervention delivery include having the necessary skills to meet the project objectives, the cohesion between UKSPF projects which enabled them to complement each other and work effectively to achieve common goals, and the established relationships between delivery providers and the wider community as well as between WBC and delivery providers.
• Key challenges include compressed timelines and a limited ability to adapt the programme design mid-project to reflect emerging needs.

Data collection and monitoring

• Consultees indicated that the monitoring requirements for UKSPF are balanced, ensuring accountability and transparency. However, WBC officers highlighted a need for enhanced guidance on monitoring practices as well as an increased allocation to fund the administrative costs related to reporting.

Progress to date: expenditure, outputs and outcomes

Watford’s £1 million UKSPF funding for 2022/25 is primarily revenue-based (73.8%) and back-loaded, with 67% of the funding released in 2024/25. 58.8% (£588k) is allocated to Supporting Local Businesses, 22.2% to Communities and Place, 15% to People and Skills, and 4% to UKSPF administration. 41% of the total is being co-commissioned with Hertfordshire Futures across nine of 18 interventions.

Communities and Place focused primarily on enhancing public safety within the town, achieving this through targeted infrastructure improvements. The installation of two new CCTV cameras and a lighting project in areas identified by the community as hotspots for antisocial behaviour and crime have contributed to reduced crime rates and an improved perception of safety among residents.

Under Supporting Local Businesses, more than 300 enterprises benefited from advisory sessions designed to strengthen their readiness for national and global supply chains through the “Watford Fit to Bid” programme. UKSPF has provided start-up support, facilitated demand-side workplace upskilling to enhance staff skills and business resilience, and assisted businesses in adopting low-carbon technologies. The “Watford Business Pledge” encouraged businesses to become employers of choice, contributing to a positive local business environment. Local SME participation in public sector and large corporate supply chains has increased, particularly within construction, facilities management, professional services, and film. Programmes such as the Growth Springboard incubator, Get Enterprising advice service, and the Herts Growth Hub and Herts Opportunity Portal supported the local entrepreneurial ecosystem. These initiatives led to the creation of 24 new businesses and 71 new jobs, with 8 additional jobs safeguarded. Five businesses have adopted new technologies or processes and are preparing to enter new markets. Grants awarded to businesses in Watford’s Business Improvement District further enhanced the town centre’s commercial appeal.

People and Skills initiatives, including the Road to Employment, Inclusive Employment Programme, and Pathways to Employment, focused on addressing economic inactivity, enhancing skills, and improving access to employment. Eleven individuals gained employment assistance through the Road to Employment and Pathways to Employment programs, while 50 individuals currently in employment received support to participate in training and development initiatives. The Inclusive Employment Programme specifically targeted socially excluded individuals, reaching 21 people. These interventions have resulted in increased confidence and job readiness among participants, equipping them with the foundational licences, qualifications, and skills necessary for successful employment.

Early impact findings

Early findings suggest that funding through UKSPF has led to improvements in all three thematic areas.

• Community ownership and sense of place have increased, particularly regarding safety. However, further analysis is needed to understand the causal links between the installation of CCTV and lighting infrastructure and the longer-term impacts, as well as the emerging effects from the improvement of St. Mary’s Churchyard, which is expected to be completed in June 2025; the final report will include insight on emerging outcomes after its completion.
• UKSPF funding has supported Watford’s entrepreneurial ecosystem and enhanced businesses’ ability to grow sustainably. Phase 2 of the evaluation will collect further data to assess the longer-term impact of these interventions on employment, business growth, and resilience.
• Phase 1 of the evaluation indicates that access to skills training and employment support has improved due to UKSPF funding. Case studies illustrate examples of individuals who have reported gains in their confidence and ability to engage in job-seeking activities after participating in supported programmes.

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