Councillor Ruth Gordon, Cabinet Member for Placemaking and Local Economy, approved the acceptance of £1,007,516 in UK Shared Prosperity Funding (UKSPF) from the Greater London Authority (GLA). The funding, which is split between capital and revenue, will support projects aligned with the council's Opportunity Haringey, Shaping Tottenham and Shaping Wood Green priorities. Councillor Ruth Gordon also delegated authority to Abigail Stratford, Director of Placemaking and Community Development, to allocate UKSPF funding accordingly.

UK Shared Prosperity Funding

Haringey Council will accept £1,007,516 in UKSPF funding from the GLA for a period extending to March 2026, after Councillor Ruth Gordon approved the recommendations in the Acceptance of UKSPF Grant report. The funding is split into £672,739 for capital projects and £334,777 for revenue projects.

The UKSPF aims to support the London Growth Plan priorities, improve pride in place, and increase life chances across the UK by investing in communities, supporting local businesses, and developing people and skills at a local level.

The report that Councillor Ruth Gordon considered noted that the GLA had advised boroughs that the focus for UKSPF funding needs to be on government growth missions and the London Growth Plan. The UK Government's Growth Missions are:

• Kickstart Economic Growth
• Breakdown Barriers to Opportunity
• Build an NHS fit for the future
• Make Britain a clean energy superpower
• Take back our streets

The London Growth Plan ambitions are:

• Productivity: Raise productivity growth rates to 2% average per year over 2025 to 2035.
• Inclusion: Raise the real household weekly income (after housing costs) of the lowest earning 20% of Londoners by 20% by 2035.
• Accelerate progress towards achieving London's net zero target for 2030.
• A global capital: Grow London's services exports by an average of 6% per year.

The council's Corporate Delivery Plan 2022-2024 outlines high-level strategic outcomes that this funding would support, specifically in the areas of Place and Economy through building an Inclusive Economy and Shaping Tottenham and Wood Green priorities.

UKSPF Revenue Funding

The £334,777 in revenue funding will be used to deliver projects that align with Opportunity Haringey priorities, supporting entrepreneurship, businesses, and residents seeking employment. The funding will support:

• Business and entrepreneur support
• Haringey Works employment support
• Fuel Poverty Advice service

The report noted that as of March 2025, 6% of Haringey residents were claiming out-of-work benefits, compared to a London average of 5.1%. Additionally, 24% of the population was inactive in the labour market, compared to a London average of 20%. The report stated that:

The previous UKSPF allocation for Haringey supported an impactful programme of engagement and support for residents with some of the most challenging employment barriers, to help them either find jobs or progress on a pathway to employment. The recommendation is for UKSPF funds to continue to fund Haringey Works employment advisors, as well as wrap around support for residents finding employment such as tackling digital exclusion and help fund training and child-care support as required.

The funding will also provide targeted business support, as Haringey is home to more than 12,000 businesses, 92% of which are micro businesses employing fewer than ten people.

A portion of the revenue funding will go towards fuel poverty advice, as Haringey has 14,983 households (13.3%) living in fuel poverty, the 3rd highest percentage in London. The report stated that last year the council assisted 833 residents, with 224 receiving Energy Doctor visits, saving an average of £245 per household per year in their energy bills.

UKSPF Capital Funding

The £672,739 in capital funding will be used to deliver projects that support Shaping Wood Green and Shaping Tottenham placemaking priorities. The report stated that these plans were developed through extensive engagement with residents, stakeholders, and businesses.

Alternative Options

The alternative option of not accepting the grant was considered but discounted, as the funding supports key activities in the Corporate Delivery Plan and, in the case of capital projects, replaces council borrowing.