Protect Frontline Community Services in NI

We need a change to the Local Growth Fund so it protects existing frontline community services in Northern Ireland by ensuring adequate revenue funding to deliver people-centred support for vulnerable people, rather than prioritising capital projects that do not meet current community needs.

Northern Ireland has the highest economic inactivity rate in the UK, driven by long-term illness, disability, and people not in education, employment, or training who need specialist support. 

UKSPF-funded community services currently support over 11,000 people each year into better mental health, skills, and employment. The proposed Local Growth Fund is capital-heavy and risks ending vital services when UKSPF ends in March 2026, putting vulnerable people and skilled jobs at risk.