Report: South coast areas "locked out" of levelling-up funding
The Salvation Army claims some of the most deprived areas in the UK are missing out on the £4.8bn investment
Last updated 30th Aug 2021
It's being claimed that some of the most deprived areas of the South Coast are missing out on the Government's levelling-up fund.
The Salvation Army has identified 45 areas which aren't being prioritised for a share of the £4.8billion investment, but are more deprived.
Among them are Weymouth and Portland, Southampton, Portsmouth and the Isle of Wight.
The charity says its own analysis went into more detail than the Government's, finding smaller deprived areas which are not receiving funding as they are among larger, more affluent, areas.
The Salvation Army calls on Ministers
The Salvation Army says it would like the Government to:
- Reconsider how funding is allocated from the Levelling Up Fund, with coastal communities being recognised as an investment priority.
- Develop a new plan of investment in accessible childcare to allow people to access work and training opportunities. Recommendations include extending 30 hours per week of free childcare to 52 weeks, extending business rates relief for nurseries and providing additional childcare services to parents whose children benefit from the school Pupil Premium grant.
- Engage with communities to identify what investment will best ‘Level Up’ these areas.
- Invest in skills and employment support; to help individuals out of low-skill, low-wage employment.
Rebecca Keating, The Salvation Army’s Director of Employment Services, said:
“The £4.8 billion earmarked for Levelling Up is a bold move by the Government and an opportunity to lift thousands out of unemployment but we are worried that this investment is missing many key areas in serious decline.
“As well as analysing employment and income data, we talked to people to find out first-hand what people needed. Many people told us they have been stuck in low-skill seasonal jobs, which are now at risk following the pandemic but they are too old to easily access training courses to reskill. One of the most common issues are single parents faced with jobs offering wages that don’t cover the cost of their childcare.
“We want to encourage the Government to listen to the communities who need their help.
“Every day we work with people who are being pushed even further from employment as local businesses close, or they are trapped in a cycle of low-paid seasonal work and zero hours contracts.
"While there are similarities in the Government’s analysis of need and our report, there are too many areas of severe deprivation that have been overlooked. We must ensure investment reaches these people; it’s the only way to truly level up the country.”
An MHCLG spokesperson said:
“The Government is levelling up all areas of the country, with billions of pounds of investment to support and regenerate communities, including coastal areas.
"These have already benefited from over £250 million through successful bids into Town Deals and from the Future High Streets Fund.
"The published methodologies for our funds such as the Levelling Up Fund and UK Community Renewal Fund make clear the metrics used to identify places judged to be most in need of funding, taking into account productivity, unemployment and skills."