There have been numerous updates to funding schemes with the recent Budget announcements. These include:
- Culture Recovery Fund – receiving a £300m to top up (totalling £1.87bn)
- A further £90m to support national museums and cultural bodies
- A prospectus has been published for the £220 million UK Community Renewal Fund
- A prospectus has been published for the Levelling Up Fund (which will provide guidance to local areas on the process of submitting bids, the types of projects eligible for funding, and how bids will be assessed). One of the three initial themes will be on ‘cultural investment‘.
- A £150m Community Ownership Fund to help local people take over local institutions
- Help to Grow: Digital – a £520m scheme to boost digital adoption in SMEs
- £500m Film and TV Production Restart Scheme – extended for 6 months until 31 December
- Additional support for traineeships (a further £126m for high quality work placements, payments to employers who hire new apprentices between 1 April and 30 September, a £7m fund to help employers set up and expand portable apprenticeships) – see our Budget 2021 summary for details
Reopening High Streets Safely Fund
MHCLG has produced a new version the Guidance and FAQ associated with this £50m fund to councils. The end date for the latest version of the Fund is 30 June 2021, in line with reopening under the Government’s Roadmap.
Following a review of the scheme, the cost of High Street Ambassadors and Wardens can now be paid for through this funding. This could help with the management of town centres as businesses reopen and help encourage people to visit knowing that it is a safe environment.
State Aid Cap Increase
The State Aid cap on Covid-19 support grants has been increased to more than £10m (from a previous £3.5m). Now the UK has left the EU, the rules under the EU State Aid scheme will be replaced by a new domestic regime on ‘subsidy control’, which the Government is currently consulting on (see the consultations section below for details).