Question to the Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government:

To ask His Majesty's Government what individual programmes or initiatives have been launched since 5 July 2024 that require local authorities to bid to the government to receive funding.

The Government has committed to providing multi-year funding settlements and moving away from wasteful competitive bidding in order to give councils the stability and certainty they need to plan for the long-term. No department currently holds information on all individual programmes or initiatives that require local authorities to bid to the government for funding.

MHCLG is leading a programme of funding simplification to move Whitehall away from a system reliant on hundreds of separate funding pots and tight spending controls, to one based on partnership and respect. We estimate there are currently circa 300 grants provided to the sector each year with around a third allocated via a bidding process. We are working with all government departments to confirm (1) data on existing grants, including those allocated by bidding process, and (2) arrangements for the 2026/27 Local Government Finance Settlement, where the Government has committed to further consolidation.

In line with the usual approach, we will set out more detail at the local government finance settlement, towards the end of the calendar year.