The Government published the long-awaited Levelling Up White Paper (WP) on 2nd February, 2022. Although issued by the Department for Levelling Up, Housing and Communities (DLUHC) it is a whole of Government document.

Published alongside the White Paper and integral to it the Government (again through DLUHC) published Pre-Launch Guidance in respect of the UK Shared Prosperity Fund.

As the Levelling Up White Paper is very long and detailed, the RSN will be doing separate Rural Lens Reviews on different elements of the White Paper.

We have started with the UK Shared Prosperity Fund Pre Launch Guidance.

This Guidance sets out:

• the aims of the UK Shared Prosperity Fund
• its contribution to our shared objectives
• the delivery roles of the UK Government and local partners across the UK

The RSN has examined the Guidance through a rural lens, setting out what it means for rural communities. 

Our findings at a glance are as follows:

• The RSN will be working hard to influence the funding formula for the fund to ensure it is fit for purpose in the rural context and reflects delivery costs in rural settings, (existing funding formulae do not reflect these aspects and disadvantage rural areas). 
• This is a key rural proofing point and a major test for Government.
• Capacity remains an issue of real concern across rural authorities.  Realistic and workable timescales for the required Investment Plans are essential.
• Fewer outcomes can be achieved in rural areas for a given amount of funding when compared to urban. That must be acknowledged from the outset.
• Given the large geographical size of rural District and Unitary authorities, they cover very many separate communities separated by distance. This presents many challenges in programme design and delivery.

For more information on the fund, see this Government website link

You can read the full Rural Lens Review into the Shared Prosperity Fund Prelaunch Guidance at this link

We will be publishing in due course, rural lens reviews of the different chapters in the Levelling Up White Paper