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 investing in communities and place, supporting local business, and people and skills.

The government has allocated £4.2 million for investment in businesses, communities and people across Bournemouth, Christchurch, and Poole. It is allocated to support:

• £2.5m for local businesses
• £1m for communities and places
• £700,000 for people and skills

BCP Economic Development Supporting Business (EDSB)

The Economic Development team at BCP Council is proud to support business through the UKSPF and help them to succeed with this funding allocation. The Investment Plan sets aside a budget of £2.5 million to support the local business economy in the following areas:

• start-up and growth
• exporting
• research and development and innovation
• decarbonisation and improving the natural environment
• town and district centres
• development and promotion of the visitor economy

Eligible businesses

To apply for support from the UKSPF .Your business's sole or main place of business must be an address within Bournemouth, Christchurch and Poole.

Register to access support

Get started by registering your business for the UKSPF support. You will then be invited to complete a free online diagnostic tool which will provide valuable insights in to perceived strengths and weaknesses. Depending on the support you require, the Economic Development team may refer you to our UKSPF support partner Evolve to receive additional support and guidance at no cost. 

Use our online form to register your business.

Awarded grant projects

View a summary of all grant projects awarded a UKSPF from BCP Council. This document will be updated following each round of assessments.

You can also visit our UKSPF case studies page.

More information

Stay up to date regarding the very latest UKSPF news and other business support from us by subscribing to our regular Business News and Information newsletter.

If you have any queries, which cannot be answered by the information on this page or the scheme document, please contact the ED team by emailing ukspf@bcpcouncil.gov.uk. Due to the demand we are expecting for this support and limited resources there may be a short delay in responding to you. If you are contacting us about an existing registration and/or grant application, please provide your business name and reference number(s).

If you require a more accessible format to complete the registration and grant application forms, please email ukspf@bcpcouncil.gov.uk to discuss alternative options which may be more suitable.

Scheme review

The UKSPF programme and scheme document is regularly reviewed and updated. The scheme document listed on this page may therefore be different to one you have seen previously. The latest version will be published to this page.

Disclaimers

Business diagnostic tool

Any available diagnostic or coaching support provided by BCP Council will be based on your responses and therefore you agree that BCP Council will not be responsible or liable, directly or indirectly, in any way for any loss or cost of any kind incurred as a result of, or in connection with your use of, or reliance on, the business diagnostic tool or any support provided by BCP Council. You further agree that any support provided by BCP Council is not financial or commercial advice and does not replace consultation with professional advisers. It is intended to be used as an introduction to explore potential areas of development for your business. There may be omissions and inaccuracies and you will need to make your own enquiries and assessment before making any decision or taking any action.

COBRA business fact sheets

BCP Council may provide you with business fact sheets published by Complete Business Reference Adviser (COBRA). BCP Council exercises no control over their content. You agree that it is your responsibility to review and evaluate the content, and that any and all risk associated with the use of, or reliance on, the content rests with you. You further agree that BCP Council will not be responsible or liable, directly or indirectly, in any way for any loss or cost of any kind incurred as a result of, or in connection with your use of, or reliance on, the content.