AQW 35750/22-27

Ms Kellie Armstrong
Alliance Party
Strangford

Tabled Date: 18/11/2025
Answered On Date: 12/01/2026
Priority Written: No

Question:
To ask the Minister for Communities for his assessment of the number of jobs in the Community and Voluntary Sector, at risk of redundancy, due to the lack of certainly regarding the future of the UK Shared Prosperity Fund and the Local Growth Fund.

Answer:

As these funds are administered directly by the UK Government, my Department is unable to assess in detail the impact of the potential loss of funding on the Voluntary & Community Sector (VCS).

We have, however, been provided with information from NICVA which estimates that approximately 650 staff from the Sector were involved in project delivery up to 31 March 2025.

I remain extremely concerned that the current Local Growth Fund financial allocation from April 2026 will have a negative impact on our VCS who currently deliver Economic Inactivity interventions which support those furthest from the labour market.

My Department has been working closely with the Department of Finance, the Northern Ireland Office and the UK Government to seek clarity on the transition to the Local Growth Fund.