Swann urges Government to prevent funding gap for NI charities

Robin Swann MP has urged the UK Government to provide clarity on the new Local Growth Fund for Northern Ireland and has warned that uncertainty over future funding risks leaving vital programmes without support.

Mr Swann raised the issue with the Cabinet Office in the House of Commons, highlighting the concerns of local charities who depend on this funding to deliver their services. The Minister committed to looking at the specific circumstances facing organisations in Northern Ireland.

In response to a previous question from the South Antrim MP, the Department for Housing, Communities and Local Government has confirmed that the new fund will replace the UK Shared Prosperity Fund (UKSPF) from March 2026, but has stopped short of confirming when allocations or delivery plans will be announced.

Reacting to this, Mr Swann said:

“This lack of clarity is incredibly worrying, particularly given the warnings from disability and community organisations like Mencap who stress that a funding gap between the end of UKSPF and the start of the new Local Growth Fund could be hugely damaging.

“We are now only a few months away from the Shared Prosperity Fund coming to an end and yet there is still no clear plan for what comes next.”

“Groups like Mencap are rightly warning that if there is even a short gap in funding, it could lead to the loss of experienced staff and the closure of programmes that help disabled people into meaningful employment. We now need clarity from the Government to ensure that this does not happen.”

Mr Swann added:

“The Minister’s assurance that funding for Northern Ireland will continue at the same level as before is welcome, but for the organisations relying on this funding, a much fuller picture of what this Fund will look like is needed. We need to know what the money will fund, how it will be distributed and how local organisations will be able access it.”

Mr Swann has written to Ministers asking for confirmation that there will be no gap between the end of UKSPF and the start of the Local Growth Fund, that the focus on revenue funding that supports people into employment will continue, and that Northern Ireland’s allocation and delivery arrangements will be published without any additional delay.