UK Shared Prosperity Fund (including the Rural England Prosperity Fund and Multiply)

This page provides information about the council's delivery of the UK Shared Prosperity Fund at a local level.

What are the UK Shared Prosperity Fund and Rural England Prosperity Fund?

The UK Shared Prosperity Fund (UKSPF) is a central pillar of the UK government’s Levelling Up agenda and provides £2.6 billion of funding for local investment by March 2025. The fund aims to improve pride in place and increase life chances across the UK by investing in three priorities: communities and place, supporting local business and people and skills.

The Rural England Prosperity Fund (REPF) provides a complementary, rural top-up to the UKSPF. This fund aims to support activities that specifically address the challenges rural areas, such as the East Riding, face by investing in communities and place and by supporting local business.

For more information about these funds, please use the following links:

GOV.UK - UKSPF Prospectus (external website)

GOV.UK - REPF Prospectus (external website)

In order to draw down the East Riding's allocation from the UKSPF, the council was required to submit for government approval an investment plan outlining how the funding would be spent across the three priorities. A summary of this investment plan can be viewed below:

East Riding UKSPF Investment Plan Summary (pdf 1mb)

East Riding of Yorkshire REPF Addendum Summary to UKSPF Investment Plan (pdf 552kb)

How much has the East Riding been allocated from the UK Shared Prosperity Fund and the Rural England Prosperity Fund?

The East Riding of Yorkshire has been allocated £10.4 million through the UKSPF to cover the period from April 2022 to March 2025 and £1.8m through the REPF to cover the period from April 2023 to March 2025.

The UKSPF allocation comprises mostly revenue funding, with allowance for a small amount of capital expenditure.

The REPF allocation only will fund capital projects for small businesses and community infrastructure in eligible rural areas of the East Riding. To check a location’s eligibility, please use the following link:

REPF Eligibility Map (external website)

What grant opportunities are available under the UKSPF/REPF Communities and Place investment priority?

There are currently no calls open for funding.

To discuss your project idea and expression of interest please contact the East Riding Local Growth Team at localgrowth@eastriding.gov.uk. Please include your geographical location in the subject heading of your email.

For any other enquiries regarding the UKSPF please email the East Riding UK Shared Prosperity team at ukspf@eastriding.gov.uk.

How can I apply for the UKSPF/REPF 'Communities and Place' grant application process?

Applications must be submitted via our online grants management system, Flexi-Grant®. If you have not previously applied to the council for grant funding via Flexi-Grant® you will need to register your details. To do this please visit:

East Riding of Yorkshire Council Flexigrant

There are currently no calls open for funding.

What support is available?

The East Riding UKSPF team hold workshops to help potential applicants understand the fund.

These include how to apply, compliance (covering procurement, branding and publicity, subsidy control, document retention and risk and assurance), and outputs and outcomes.

The workshop programme will commence again in 2024, details will be posted here.

When there are no calls open please contact the team if you have any queries:

Email: ukspf@eastriding.gov.uk

How can I apply for the UKSPF 'People and Skills' grant opportunity?

We are pleased to announce that calls are now open for grant applications under the East Riding's UKSPF People and Skills investment priority.

Funding is for the delivery of year 3 of the fund (2024/25) and is seeking projects to deliver from 1 April 2024 under the following investment areas:

  • Support for the unemployed
  • Skills support for the workforce

The two funding calls will address specific areas to support economically inactive people and those in work looking to gain new skills in order to progress by supporting employers to offer training opportunities.

Applicants will be able to bid for a share of £700,000 of funding in this round. This is a competitive single-stage application process, the deadline for submission of applications is 12 noon on 15 December 2023.

Applications must be submitted via our online grants management system, Flexi-Grant®. If you have not previously applied to the council for grant funding via Flexi-Grant® you will need to register your details. To do this please visit eastridingofyorkshirecouncil.flexigrant.com. You will also be able to view the individual call specifications on the Flexi-Grant® system.

Please note that applications submitted via any other method will not be accepted. If you encounter any technical difficulties completing or submitting your application via Flexi-Grant® please send an email to external.funding@eastriding.gov.uk. Technical support is available Monday to Friday, from 9am to 5pm.

For further information regarding these current round of calls and associated call specifications, information on how to apply and for the East Riding’s UKSPF Investment Plan please visit council/grants-and-funding/uk-shared-prosperity-fund.

For all other enquiries about the fund please email the East Riding UKSPF team at ukspf@eastriding.gov.uk.

Support for the unemployed specification (pdf 340kb)

Skills support for the workforce specification (pdf 336kb)

What support is available under the UKSPF/REPF 'Supporting Local Business' investment priority?

The East Riding’s Supporting Local Businesses Delivery Model

The UKSPF/REPF business support delivery model will ensure that all eligible businesses are able to access a full business support service alongside any potential revenue and/or capital grants. This will enable all businesses to undertake a full needs analysis with an experienced business adviser ensuring that projects are aligned to business growth plans and future strategy, as well as accessing the wider service offer including 1 to 1 specialist advice, consultancy support, workshops, and events in addition to the UKSPF and REPF grants.

This process will enable us to offer a continual support service to our business community as well as a value-added rolling grant programme while funding is available.

What Grant Opportunities are available under the UKSPF/REPF Supporting Local Businesses investment priority?

East Riding of Yorkshire Council has a range of UKSPF/REPF grants available to support local businesses. These are delivered in conjunction with our team of experienced business advisers who will work with you to identify which project(s) will help your business grow and improve and what grants may be available to support with the costs.

Grants are available for between £1,000 and £50,000 with a maximum contribution of 50% towards identified eligible costs of the project.

Grants available, could cover different types of projects as listed below.

Revenue grants – maximum grant £5,000

Revenue projects could include:

  • Costs of bringing in external specialist consultancy advice
  • Event attendance
  • Costs associated with achieving relevant accreditations.
  • Marketing & Sales costs, including online advertising spend, advertisements and promotional materials
  • Websites
  • Software licences.

Grants for small scale capital expenditure – maximum grant £10,000

These could include:

  • Purchase, upgrades, and improvements to moveable assets
  • Purchase of plant and machinery (this cannot be for like for like replacement for existing equipment)
  • Purchase of ICT equipment over £500
  • Outright Purchase of software licences
  • Purchase of bespoke software systems including websites
  • Energy efficiency equipment e.g., solar
  • Improvements to retail premises including signage

Grants for larger capital expenditure projects – maximum grant £50,000

Where there is significant economic impact associated with the project, we can consider larger grants. The applicant would need to demonstrate this impact through the application process. These impacts could include multiple jobs being created, significant supply chain development, increasing tourism accommodation bed spaces or creating business related facilities in rural areas.

Types of projects could include:

  • Purchase of larger pieces of machinery and equipment which will be fixed in place in the business premises and not moved in normal use (excluding purchase of land and buildings)
  • Upgrades and improvements to non-moveable fixed assets including repurposing of buildings for farm diversification
  • Energy efficient products / infrastructure (Solar PV, Wind turbines, LED Lighting, efficient boilers, Air or Ground sourced heat pumps etc.)
  • Infrastructure projects (e.g., site developments, signage, shop front improvements etc).

What we cannot fund

As grants are available to help improve and grow your business, we cannot support general day to day costs such as rent, finance costs, staffing costs, utility bills, stock etc.

In addition, we cannot fund any project retrospectively and approval must be in place for any grant prior to commencing with the project.

Farming businesses

The UKSPF and REPF do not allow us to support core farming activity with grants. We can, however, support income generating non farming diversification projects such as creation of tourism facilities, creation of business units for renting out or creation of a retail offer.

For further information on the range of business support available, eligibility and the grant application process, please contact the business services team.

Tel: (01482) 391622
Email: business.support@eastriding.gov.uk
Website: Invest East Yorkshire.co.uk - Business support/

What organisations have received Communities and Place funding from the UKSPF and REPF so far?

The following organisations have been funded in years 1 and 2 under the Communities and Place priority from the UKSPF and REPF:

Project Name Applicant/s SPF £ (total) Summary
Toll Gavel Feasibility Study Toll Gavel United Church £6,168.00 Feasibility study on future community-focused use of church buildings
CCTV Project Withernsea Town Council Withernsea Town Council £33,973.70 Upgraded CCTV system promoting safe communities
Replacement Stage Roof, Valley Gardens Withernsea Town Council £28,000.00 New Valley Gardens stage roof, enabling year-round events
Hallgarth Park Picnic Area Hornsea Town Council £5,300.00 Green space improvement with new picnic benches in Hall Garth Park
Hornsea CCTV Upgrade Hornsea Town Council £10,000.00 Upgraded CCTV system promoting safe communities
Hornsea Family Soap Box Derby Hornsea Carnival Committee £10,904.00 Planning and delivery of Soap Box Derby family-friendly event
Feasibility of Creative @43 Driffield Town Council £10,560.00 Feasibility study to re-purpose 43 Market Place, Driffield as a community/visitor facility
Driffield The Big Picture Mural Driffield Town Council £7,650.00 Creation of new public attraction to increase footfall from local people and visitors, with link to Creative@43 project
In Bloom - Hornsea Community Memorial Gardening Project Hornsea Town Council £9,540.00 Improvement and repurposing of Elim Gardens area, for community contemplative and memorial space
North Ferriby Stage Upgrade North Ferriby Village Hall £32,000.00 Upgrade of stage lighting, curtains and stage infrastructure to support live theatre
North Dalton Pond Restoration North Dalton Parish Council £20,383.95 Desilting process to restore existing blue space, promote biodiversity and increase footfall
Arts Centre Auditorium Accessibility Pocklington Town Council £73,600.00 Accessibility improvements to Arts Centre, with new seating and a stage lift, promoting inclusion
Beverley Cultural Network East Riding Theatre Limited £24,974.00 Establish Beverley Cultural Network (BCN) a collaborative platform for cultural, artistic and heritage organizations, and related staffing
Disabled/Unisex Toilet Project Allerthorpe Village Hall Management Committee £16,668.40 Accessibility improvements of disabled/unisex WC facility and ramp, allowing wider outreach and inclusion
Howden Shire Hall Access Ramp & Doors Howden Shire Hall £100,000.00 New access ramp and glass automatic doors for inclusion and participation
Extension & Ramped Access Bishop Burton Village Hall £54,400.00 Accessibility improvements – extension, ramped access and functional outdoor area for community use
Hedon Methodist Church Community Projects - Community Manager Funding Hedon Methodist Church £32,843.00 Recruitment of Community Manager to develop further charity and community partnerships and increase support for isolated social groups
Sancton Village Hall Fit for the future Sancton Village Hall £22,320.00 Extension to catering and storage facilities to increase participation, activities offered and volunteering numbers

What is the Multiply Fund?

Skills for Life Multiply logo

Part of the UKSPF, the Multiply programme aims to improve adult (those aged 19+) numeracy skills and, therefore, supports the Levelling Up mission to ensure that, by 2030, the number of people successfully completing high-quality skills training will have significantly increased in every area of the UK. This programme is 100 per cent revenue funding.

The East Riding has been allocated £1.5 million from the Multiply programme from April 2022 to March 2025.

For more information about Multiply, please visit the government’s website here:

GOV.UK – Multiply (external website)

Who do I contact if I have further queries about the UK Shared Prosperity Fund, Rural England Prosperity Fund or Multiply?

If you have any queries about any of these funds, please email the East Riding UK Shared Prosperity team:

Email: ukspfund@eastriding.gov.uk

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