Levelling Up Fund (LUF) overview

The Levelling Up Fund was a UK Government fund introduced in 2020 with last awards made in 2024. Its purpose was to support investment in places where it can make the biggest difference, including ex-industrial areas, deprived towns and coastal communities. The Fund was focused on capital investment.

The Levelling Up Fund was intended to invest in local infrastructure. This included a range of high value local investment priorities, including local transport schemes, urban regeneration projects and cultural assets. Members of Parliament (MPs) were expected to provide support, where they deemed it appropriate. In Wales, applications (bids) for funding were submitted by the local authorities. The number of bids that a local authority could make was related to the number of MPs in their area. The application process was competitive, meaning that not all local authorities were successful in gaining the requested funds.