IMPORTANT NOTICE OF GRANT AND TECHNICAL SUPPORT FOR FINANCIAL YEAR (2024/2025)
We are now open for applications for grant and Technical Support.
MHCLG have extended the support for a seventh year (2024/2025). The Neighbourhood Planning Support Programme will continue to offer grants and Technical Support packages.
Please apply via the Apply page of the website.
The anticipated high demand for neighbourhood planning support means that it will be necessary to prioritise applications.
The process for prioritising Technical Support applications will be determined by MHCLG, taking into account Government priorities such as housing, regeneration, climate change and environmental improvement.
Currently, there is no requirement to prioritise grant applications; however, if the amount of available funding is insufficient to meet the demand, we may need to prioritise applications in the future. Please note, that expenditure met through grant must be completed on or before 31st March 2025.
What grant funding is available?
You can apply for grant funding if you are preparing a neighbourhood plan or neighbourhood development order.
There are two different types of grants that you can be eligible for:
In addition to grant funding, you can also apply for Technical Support in the same application.
Basic Grant funding
All groups undertaking a neighbourhood plan or neighbourhood development order are eligible to apply for up to £10,000 in Basic Grant.
As well as applying for a Basic Grant, you can also apply for Technical Support (provided you meet the eligibility criteria) to help you with your neighbourhood plan or neighbourhood development order.
You must spend your grant funding by the end of the financial year. To find out more about how you can spend your grant funding, read the ‘Neighbourhood Planning Guidance Notes‘.
You will need to have submitted your end of grant monitoring and return any underspend before you can apply for further grant support.
Eligibility for Basic Grant funding
If you are
- writing a neighbourhood development plan or neighbourhood development order
and
- are based in England
you can apply to the programme for a Basic Grant of up to £10,000.
Any grant support you have received since April 2015 will be taken into account when assessing how much grant you can apply for.
For example, if you are only eligible for Basic Grant and have already received and spent £5,000 since April 2015, you will only be able to apply for up to a further £5,000 from the current programme.
If you are updating a neighbourhood plan that has been ‘made’ by the local planning authority, then you are able to apply again. Any grant support or Technical Support received towards making your previous plan is not taken into account, with your full allowances ‘reset’.
Don’t forget you can also apply for Technical Support in the same application form.
Additional Grant funding
Groups meeting the eligibility criteria are able to apply for Additional Grant of up to £8,000 (in addition to the Basic Grant). This will take the total amount of grant available to you to £18,000.
Any grant support you have received since April 2015 will be taken into account when assessing how much grant you can apply for.
Eligibility for Additional Grant funding
Are you at least one of the following:
- Allocating sites for housing
- Including design codes in your plan
- A designated business neighbourhood plan
- A cluster of three or more parishes writing a single plan
- A neighbourhood area with a population of over 25,000
- A designated neighbourhood forum
- A group based in an area which has a high level of deprivation (where 30% or more of the neighbourhood area or population is in the 20% most deprived areas in England according to the Index of Multiple Deprivation)
If the answer is yes to any of the above you can apply for an additional £8,000 grant.
You are still able to apply for Technical Support (provided that you meet the technical support eligibility criteria) along with grant funding.