Many neighbourhoods are among the most deprived in England, and more residents are out of work or on low pay than in the wider region.
Raised by:Official data · Office for National Statistics (via Nomis)Council plans+4 morePortsmouth International Port (council-owned)UK Government (Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government), with neighbourhood boards in Landport and PaulsgroveHealth and Wellbeing Board (Tackling Poverty Partnership Group)UK Government (Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government) for the Hampshire and the Solent Combined County Authority
The issue in five minutes
The problem
People claiming unemployment-related benefits: 4.5% (September 2026), 0.4 percentage points higher than England (4.1%). Affects: Children in low-income families, people out of work because of long-term sickness, and residents of the most deprived neighbourhoods.3 related measures
19.2% Working-age people not working or looking for work (Jan 2025-Dec 2025; 1.3 percentage points lower than England (20.5%))
21.3% People on Universal Credit, share of residents aged 16 to 64 (December 2025; 1.8 percentage points higher than England (19.5%))
20.7% Children in low-income families (before housing costs) (FYE 2025; 0.9 percentage points higher than England (19.8%))
Different measures, sources and periods: shown together, not ranked against each other.
Who says so
Office for National Statistics (via Nomis); Office for National Statistics; Department for Work and Pensions.
What’s being done
Tackling Poverty Action Plan 2026-2028Deliver twelve tasks under four priorities: maximising household income, strengthening the local safety net, increasing opportunities and improving wellbeing, and using data to support partnership working.Lead Health and Wellbeing BoardIn progress · evidence 23 September 2026
Connect to WorkRun Connect to Work across the Solent area (Portsmouth, Southampton and the Isle of Wight): up to 12 months of support to find and keep work for disabled people, people with health conditions and people with complex barriers to work.Lead Portsmouth City CouncilIn progress · evidence 10 November 2026
Funded by
Funded by Department for Work and Pensions£12,600,000 · Agreed for the whole Solent area
Show the other 1
Skills and Labour Market Strategy 2026-2030Deliver the Skills and Labour Market Strategy 2026-2030 through annual action plans with key performance indicators.Lead Portsmouth City CouncilApproved · evidence March 2026
Council Tax Support caseload by area (only a city-wide value of the support is published) (Freedom of Information request)
The skills strategy’s annual action plans and their measures (not found on the council website)
Whether local firms, apprentices or trainees take part in retrofit work funded by Warm Homes grants (no local-employment condition or contractor report found)
People claiming unemployment-related benefits, compared over 3 years.
1 · The issue
What the evidence says
Who is affected: Children in low-income families, people out of work because of long-term sickness, and residents of the most deprived neighbourhoods.
StrengthThe port and university give the city a strong base. The port recorded about 1.4 million international short-sea passenger movements in 2025. The university taught 20,731 full-time-equivalent students in 2024/25. These are different measures, not a combined headcount or a claim that every benefit stays in Portsmouth. Better links to training and local suppliers can help residents share the gains.In context →
OpportunityEnergy upgrade funding could also train and employ local people. Government grants for home energy upgrades have reached Portsmouth (£1,124,251 for council homes; a share of £34,807,254 across a 32-council consortium) and City of Portsmouth College has announced a £1.2 million construction training award. No record checked says local firms, apprentices or trainees must or will do the fitting; that is unknown. The consortium award is not a Portsmouth-only figure, the Local Grant was no longer taking applications on 10 November 2026, no heat network contractor is recorded as appointed, and the college says two net-zero bootcamps were not delivered. This is an opportunity to test, not a commitment.In context →
Shown on this chart: From January 2013 to September 2026, people claiming unemployment-related benefits rose by 0.8 percentage points in Portsmouth and rose by 0.3 percentage points in England.
Both places compared over January 2013 to September 2026, using matching published dates.
Compared areas: Portsmouth; England.
Actual values
PortsmouthEngland
0.7%4.3%7.9%
January 2013September 2026
Each line joins consecutive published observations for that place. Missing dates remain gaps.
Hover or tap the chart for a value. Use the date slider with touch or arrow keys. Escape closes the chart label.
No clear change Up 0.8 percentage points since January 2013 (3.7%).
How change is judged
People claiming unemployment-related benefits: 0.2 percentage points change between 2023-09 and 2026-09, smaller than the threshold used (Standard deviation of the 153 twelve-month changes in the monthly rate, January 2013 to September 2026 (1.43 percentage points, rounded to 1.4). The 2020 jump inflates it, so only large shifts register. Universal Credit rules changed who counts as a claimant, which also moves the series.).
Rule: Standard deviation of the 153 twelve-month changes in the monthly rate, January 2013 to September 2026 (1.43 percentage points, rounded to 1.4). The 2020 jump inflates it, so only large shifts register. Universal Credit rules changed who counts as a claimant, which also moves the series.
Series starts January 2013, when Universal Credit claimants required to seek work were added. Earlier months (Jobseeker's Allowance only) are a separate measure.
Same period, other places (2026-09)
Portsmouth4.5%
Southampton4.2%
Chichester3.2%
Winchester2%
South East3.1%
England4.1%
Comparators: the nearest cities and the most similar places, with England.
This is a sample survey estimate. The lower and upper figures are the ONS 95% confidence interval; for a single city the range is several percentage points wide.
People on Universal Credit, share of residents aged 16 to 64
January 2016 to December 2025
Portsmouth · %
Reviewed figures: January 2016 to December 2025.
Change dates and range
Shown on this chart: From January 2016 to December 2025, people on Universal Credit, share of residents aged 16 to 64 rose by 21.3 percentage points in Portsmouth and rose by 19.1 percentage points in England.
Both places compared over January 2016 to December 2025, using matching published dates.
Compared areas: Portsmouth; England.
Actual values
PortsmouthEngland
0%11.5%23%
January 2016December 2025
Each line joins consecutive published observations for that place. Missing dates remain gaps.
Hover or tap the chart for a value. Use the date slider with touch or arrow keys. Escape closes the chart label.
Universal Credit replaced six older benefits (income-based Jobseeker's Allowance, income-related Employment and Support Allowance, Income Support, Housing Benefit, Child Tax Credit and Working Tax Credit) area by area. Rises mostly reflect people moving from those benefits, not only more people needing help.
Counts only families who claimed Child Benefit and at least one other benefit (Universal Credit, tax credits or Housing Benefit) during the year, then calibrated to the national Households Below Average Income survey total. So it is an official statistic built from benefit records, not a survey of every family.
Related measures
19.2%Working-age people not working or looking for workCity Jan 2025-Dec 2025 · 1.3 percentage points lower than England (20.5%) · Working-age people not working or looking for work (survey, with confidence intervals).
21.3%People on Universal Credit, share of residents aged 16 to 64City December 2025 · 1.8 percentage points higher than England (19.5%) · Universal Credit claims; rises partly reflect moves from older benefits.
20.7%Children in low-income families (before housing costs)City FYE 2025 · 0.9 percentage points higher than England (19.8%) · Children in low-income families.
Show the other 2 measures
12%Neighbourhoods in England's most deprived 10%City IoD2025 · 2 percentage points higher than England (10%) · Neighbourhoods among England’s most deprived 10%.
£36,022 per yearTypical full-time annual pay for residentsCity resident median full-time pay, 2025 · Typical full-time pay for residents (survey).
Citizens Advice Solent East (CASE): £9,000 (Invited grant, 2025-11-14)
North End Baptist Church: £5,000 (Invited grant, 2025-11-14)
EC Roberts Centre: £1,177.5 (Invited grant, 2025-07-25)
Creatful CIC: £2,220 (Portsmouth City Community, 2025-07-14)
Aggie Weston's (formerly known as Royal Sailors Rest): £839.51 (Montagu Neville Durnford & St Leo Cawthan, 2025-07-08)
Music Fusion: £5,000 (Portsmouth City Community, 2025-07-07)
Grace to Restore Ltd: £5,000 (Portsmouth City Community, 2025-07-07)
Count, 2025: Portsmouth.
Source and limits
Only funders that publish to 360Giving, and only grants whose published location names this council; grants to individuals are excluded by the publishers.
Council consultation: 45% of 1,698 respondents put “regenerating major sites to create homes, jobs and economic opportunities in the city” in their top five priorities for the council (rank 2 of the published five; 16 August to 14 September 2025; people chose to take part). This option is broader than this issue, so it is shown as a related priority, not a direct measure of concern about it. How residents ranked priorities →
Not yet known: No published survey of Portsmouth residents asks about this issue directly. General concern about an issue does not show support for any particular proposal.
March 2026milestone Skills and Labour Market Strategy 2026-2030 published. source ↗
Committed by Portsmouth City CouncilIn progress
Crisis and Resilience Fund
Run the Crisis and Resilience Fund from 1 April 2026 to 31 March 2029: crisis payments, housing payments, grants to local resilience services and community coordination.
1 April 2026milestone Crisis and Resilience Fund began, running to 31 March 2029. source ↗
8 May 2026milestone Government grant determination allocated £3,691,344 to Portsmouth for 2026/27, paid in monthly instalments. source ↗
31 August 2026output 1,012 crisis payment applications received and 428 awards made, totalling £139,707; 323 applications were declined as ineligible. source ↗
23 September 2026output 33 resilience grants awarded, worth £748,392, from 47 applications; 90% of the money falls in the fund’s first year. source ↗
13 October 2026milestone Council states it has allocated over £1.5 million to local resilience services and over £400,000 to community coordination; funded services not yet listed. source ↗
13 October 2026milestone The council reports allocating over £1.5 million to resilience services (food, advice, energy, wellbeing, housing and homelessness help) and over £400,000 to community coordination, which funds the Cost of Living Hub and helpline. These are parts of the fund, not additions to it; the funded services had not yet been listed. source ↗
Committed by Portsmouth City Council (port)Completed
Extend the cruise and ferry terminal with Levelling Up Fund money.
17 October 2026output The port’s recent-projects page describes the terminal extension as complete (retained project record; date is when it was checked). source ↗
Show the other 6 official commitments
Committed by UK GovernmentApproved
Pride in Place programme
Fund neighbourhood regeneration in Landport and Paulsgrove through ten-year plans set by resident-led neighbourhood boards. The programme allows up to £20 million per place over ten years.
Funded by Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Governmentup to £20,000,000 · Up to this per neighbourhood over ten years (programme limit, not approved spend)
14 August 2026spend Landport Neighbourhood Board agreed £3,900 to Fratton Together for workshops in the Landport and Fratton West area; the council, as accountable body, signs off spending. source ↗
Committed by Health and Wellbeing BoardIn progress
Tackling Poverty Action Plan 2026-2028
Deliver twelve tasks under four priorities: maximising household income, strengthening the local safety net, increasing opportunities and improving wellbeing, and using data to support partnership working.
4 March 2026milestone Tackling Poverty Action Plan 2026-2028 presented to the Health and Wellbeing Board, for information. source ↗
23 September 2026milestone Delivery update against the twelve tasks presented to the Health and Wellbeing Board. Reported figures cover outputs, not changes in hardship. source ↗
Committed by Portsmouth City CouncilIn progress
Warm Homes: Local Grant
Lead the Warm Homes: Local Grant for Portsmouth and 31 other councils, paying for home energy improvements, delivered locally by Switched On Portsmouth.
10 November 2026milestone Switched On Portsmouth: the scheme is oversubscribed and no longer taking applications; a waiting list is open while a further government funding decision is awaited. source ↗
Committed by Portsmouth City CouncilIn progress
Connect to Work
Run Connect to Work across the Solent area (Portsmouth, Southampton and the Isle of Wight): up to 12 months of support to find and keep work for disabled people, people with health conditions and people with complex barriers to work.
Funded by Department for Work and Pensions£12,600,000 · Agreed for the whole Solent area (Portsmouth, Southampton, Isle of Wight)
Made 4 September 2025 · £12,600,000 (Agreed grant for the whole Solent area, rounded to the nearest £0.1m (DWP guidance, May 2026); an MP’s announcement of 4 September 2025 said up to £11.5m. No Portsmouth-only figure is published) · Connect to Work: Grant Guidance for England, Annex E ↗
Committed by UK GovernmentApproved
Devolution: combined authority investment fund
Fund the Hampshire and the Solent Combined County Authority’s investment fund at £44.6 million a year for 30 years once a mayor is in post, with a third of the annual amount in each of 2026/27 and 2027/28.
Funded by Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government£44,600,000 · A year for the whole combined authority, once a mayor is in post; no Portsmouth share
Made 4 December 2025 · £44,600,000 (A year, once a mayor is in post (mayoral election planned for 4 May 2028); about £1.34 billion over 30 years is our arithmetic; no Portsmouth share is set) · Written statement HCWS1128: Devolution Priority Programme ↗
1 dated record
28 September 2026milestone The combined authority’s board began its Local Growth Plan, naming housing, skills, connectivity, water and energy as constraints on growth. No Portsmouth share of the investment fund was set. source ↗
Committed by Portsmouth City CouncilIn progress
Health Determinants Research Collaboration (HDRC Portsmouth)
Build the council’s capacity to use research on the wider causes of ill health, including community researchers and evidence to inform council decisions.
Funded by National Institute for Health and Care Research£5,000,000 · About £5m over five years from January 2025, after a development year in 2024 (University of Portsmouth announcement)
Computed automatically from each new national release by a fixed rule, then linked to the actions on the same issue. A signal is not an editorial finding; reviewed findings are listed separately.
PressureComputed signal · 2024
Fewer new businesses starting
870 businesses started in Portsmouth in 2024, against 1,205 in 2019 (28% fewer). Active businesses went from 7,200 to 6,735.
Rule: Business births at least 15% below five years earlier (relative change). Limit: Counts are rounded to the nearest 5 by ONS. Source ↗
Action plan for this signal: 9 official actions, 11 other projects, 3 Facts Count proposals
Whether these actions are enough is not judged automatically. See Poverty, jobs and pay for the evidence and outcome measure.
Projects by other organisations
In the city · defenceApproved
Project Royal Oak at HMNB Portsmouth, including Project Bentham
Ministry of Defence investment in the Portsmouth naval base: Project Bentham (jetties, berthing and support systems), a Capability Accelerator, a Skills Development Centre and an expanded Navy Warfighting Centre.
Whose project
Run by Ministry of Defence (Royal Navy)
Stage
Announced 14 July 2026. On 15 September 2026 the MOD said Bentham’s delivery programme was being worked up and completion dates would follow. (15 September 2026, Written answer 19388: Portsmouth Dockyard ↗)
Where, funding and what would show it worked
Where
HMNB Portsmouth · Naval base in the city.
Funding
Funded by Ministry of Defence (Royal Navy)Forecast spend: £3.9bn · Forecast investment at Portsmouth within about £26bn over ten years across Clyde, Devonport and Portsmouth; not itemised by project source ↗
Part of Project Royal Oak (naval base infrastructure); amounts are not added across the programme.
What would show it worked
Output: Jetty and berthing works completed. Outcome: Local jobs and contracts (not yet published).
Next check
Bentham schedule and contract awards (Find a Tender, Parliament answers).
In the city · business and supportCompleted
Portsmouth Match Fund for local businesses
Grants of £1,500 to £4,000, covering 20% to 50% of a business’s project cost, funded through the UK Shared Prosperity Fund.
Whose project
Run by Portsmouth City Council
Stage
Round five closed on 29 January 2026, with payments by 31 March 2026. No new round announced by 10 November 2026. (29 January 2026, Portsmouth Match Fund ↗)
Where, funding and what would show it worked
Where
City-wide · Portsmouth businesses.
Funding
Funded by UK Shared Prosperity FundGrant · Grants of £1,500 to £4,000 each; total and recipients not published source ↗
Small grants agreed by the resident-led Landport board to gather residents’ views for its ten-year Pride in Place plan.
Whose project
Run by Landport Neighbourhood Board with Portsmouth City Council (accountable body)
Stage
Awards agreed: Motiv8 £5,055 (three family workshops, August to October), Fratton Together £3,000, Downtown Pompey £2,000 and HomeStart Portsmouth £910 on 28 July; Fratton Together £3,900 for lantern parade workshops on 14 August. Bids were capped at £6,000. (14 August 2026, Landport Neighbourhood Board minutes, 14 August 2026 ↗)
Where, funding and what would show it worked
Where
Landport and Fratton West · Pride in Place neighbourhood (government name Fratton West); one HomeStart survey ran at family hubs just outside the boundary.
Funding
Funded by Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government (Pride in Place)Grant: £14,865 · Sum of the five awards recorded in the 28 July and 14 August minutes (our addition of the listed amounts) source ↗
Funded by Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government (Pride in Place)Estimate: £128,950 · Estimated board staff and budget costs over two years; about £65,000 of the first year from the £150,000 capacity and mobilisation money source ↗
Part of Pride in Place in Portsmouth (Landport and Paulsgrove); amounts are not added across the programme.
What would show it worked
Output: Workshops held and residents reached. Outcome: Whether residents’ priorities appear in the ten-year plan.
Next check
The board’s ten-year plan and four-year investment plan, and any regeneration awards.
Show the other 8 projects
Regional decision · business and supportApproved
Combined authority: Growth Hub funding shortfall
Regional money to cover the business Growth Hub shortfall while the government’s single regional Growth Hub arrangement is worked out.
Whose project
Run by Hampshire and the Solent Combined County Authority
Stage
Resolved unanimously on 28 September 2026 to use £0.14 million of the 2026/27 Investment Fund; transition arrangements to return in November. (28 September 2026, Board minutes, 28 September 2026 ↗)
Where, funding and what would show it worked
Where
Hampshire and the Solent · Regional decision covering Portsmouth, Southampton, Hampshire and the Isle of Wight.
Funding
Funded by Hampshire and the Solent Combined County AuthorityAllocation: £140,000 · 2026/27, whole region; no Portsmouth share source ↗
Part of Combined authority Investment Fund; amounts are not added across the programme.
Government funding for local business support, skills, communities and place, managed by the council as lead authority. It covers several themes, not only business.
Whose project
Run by Portsmouth City Council (lead authority)
Stage
Annual core allocations from 2022/23 to 2025/26, plus Multiply (adult numeracy) for 2022 to 2025. (17 December 2025, UKSPF 2025-26 allocations ↗)
Where, funding and what would show it worked
Where
City-wide · Portsmouth allocation.
Funding
Funded by UK Shared Prosperity FundAllocation: £172,747 · 2022/23 core: £152,747 revenue and £20,000 capital (a separate £20,000 capacity payment was also made) source ↗
Funded by UK Shared Prosperity FundAllocation: £345,493 · 2023/24 core: £287,893 revenue and £57,600 capital source ↗
Funded by UK Shared Prosperity FundAllocation: £905,193 · 2024/25 core: £722,793 revenue and £182,400 capital source ↗
Funded by UK Shared Prosperity FundAllocation: £674,475 · 2025/26: £588,497 revenue and £85,977 capital source ↗
Funded by UK Shared Prosperity Fund (Multiply)Allocation: £1.08m · Multiply adult numeracy, 2022 to 2025 combined source ↗
What would show it worked
Output: Businesses supported and grants paid. Outcome: Jobs and business survival of supported firms at 12, 24 and 36 months (not published).
Next check
2026/27 allocation and any published recipient outcomes.
In the city · educationFunded
City of Portsmouth College: construction and engineering training at North Harbour
More refrigeration and air-conditioning training, better Level 1 construction multiskills facilities, and a new Engineering T Level from September 2027.
Funded by Department for Education (Post-16 and Construction Skills Capacity Fund)Award: £1.2m · As announced by the college; the government list gives no amounts source ↗
Funded by City of Portsmouth CollegeAmount not stated · College’s own further investment, amount not disclosed source ↗
City of Portsmouth College: 2026/27 skills targets
The college’s published targets for adult participation, employer activity and learner support funds.
Whose project
Run by City of Portsmouth College
Stage
2026/27 targets: 600 adult enrolments in digital and community provision; a 25% increase in adult participation in priority programmes; 70% of learners completing industry placements, projects or employer-led activities. (22 July 2026, Skills Plan and Accountability Statement 2026-2027 ↗)
Where, funding and what would show it worked
Where
College campuses · In the city.
Funding
Funded by Department for Education (learner support funds)Allocation: £96,000 · Construction Placements Fund, listed in the access target; period and spend not stated source ↗
Funded by Department for Education (learner support funds)Allocation: £350,000 · Mainstream (bursary) fund, listed in the access target; not to be added to other funding without checking overlap source ↗
What would show it worked
Outcome: Sustained destinations of leavers.
Next check
The college’s results against these targets in next year’s statement.
In the city · educationCancelled
Net-zero and construction skills bootcamps (not delivered)
Skills bootcamps the college won from Hampshire County Council but could not run for Portsmouth residents.
Whose project
Run by City of Portsmouth College with Hampshire County Council (commissioner)
Stage
The college says Hampshire County Council awarded two bootcamp contracts but then changed the postcodes it could recruit from, so the contracts ended before delivery; the narrative calls them net-zero bootcamps. (22 July 2026, Skills Plan and Accountability Statement 2026-2027 ↗)
Where, funding and what would show it worked
Where
City of Portsmouth College · Portsmouth residents are covered by a separate Solent bootcamp area run by Portsmouth City Council.
Funding
No funding published.
Next check
Whether Portsmouth City Council’s Solent bootcamp contracts now offer net-zero or retrofit training.
In the city · educationUnder way
Supported internships for young people with SEND
Year-long work placements with job coaching for young people with special educational needs, run by the college with the council and Minsted Trust, and by the council directly.
Whose project
Run by Portsmouth City Council with City of Portsmouth College, Minsted Trust
Stage
College programme: ages 16 to 24, one year, next start 6 September 2027. Council programme: ages 18 to 24 with an EHCP or SEND, September to April. The two pages describe the offer differently. (10 November 2026, Supported internship programme ↗)
Where, funding and what would show it worked
Where
Workplaces across the city · Council programme for residents of PO1 to PO6.
Funding
No funding published.
What would show it worked
Output: Interns placed and completing. Outcome: Interns entering paid work.
Next check
Placements, completions and job outcomes, without counting a learner on both schemes twice.
Regional decision · educationApproved
Hampshire and Solent Local Skills Improvement Plan 2026-29
The employer-led plan for skills across Hampshire, the Isle of Wight, Portsmouth and Southampton, from the designated employer body.
Hampshire and the Solent · Covers Portsmouth among four areas.
Funding
No funding published.
Next check
Progress reports against the plan.
In the city · educationUnder way
King's Trust Team Programme at City of Portsmouth College
A free 12-week programme for unemployed 16 to 25-year-olds lacking qualifications or confidence, at the college’s Highbury Campus.
Whose project
Run by City of Portsmouth College with The King's Trust
Stage
The college lists the next cohort starting 18 January 2027 (Level 2, full-time, free). Numbers of places and outcomes are not published. (10 November 2026, King's Trust ↗)
Where, funding and what would show it worked
Where
Highbury Campus, Cosham · College campus in the city.
Funding
No funding published.
What would show it worked
Output: Young people completing the programme (not published). Outcome: Moves into work, training or education (not published).
Next check
January 2027 cohort; any published outcomes.
5 · What could change
Proposals
3 proposals
Facts Count proposals are suggestions, labelled as ours. Stages are a suggested sequence, not deadlines.
Build a shared apprenticeship route across willing anchor employers, with outreach and support in higher-claimant wards, and publish starts, completion, retention and pay results.
Start soonBuild nextLonger term
EstimateAllocatedSpentUnknown
Proposed lead: Portsmouth City Council employment and skills team, building on Solent Business & Skills Solutions (proposed; not agreed)
First step: Publish a one-page map of current apprenticeship routes at the hospital, naval base, port, council, college and UTC, using their public pages, and invite employers to correct it.
Use a published contract pipeline, considered lots, supplier briefings and lawful reservation of smaller contracts to give small and local firms a fairer chance, and publish data to check whether it works.
Start soonBuild nextLonger term
EstimateAllocatedSpentUnknown
Proposed lead: Portsmouth City Council procurement and contract management (proposed; not agreed)
First step: Write to the council asking it to publish the contracts extract released under FOI2026/02585 as open data, and whether its register can show supplier size and start dates.
When public money pays for insulation, heat networks and other upgrades to Portsmouth’s older homes, ask that local firms, apprentices and the City of Portsmouth College’s construction courses are part of the delivery plan, and publish who did the work and how many homes were improved.
Start soonBuild nextLonger term
EstimateAllocatedSpentUnknown
Proposed lead: Portsmouth City Council housing, energy and procurement teams, with City of Portsmouth College, as a proposal
First step: The council could publish the delivery partners and homes upgraded for Wave 3 now and ask for the Portsmouth share of the Local Grant to be stated.
Enterprise programme: Test My Business Grant and start-up funding
From
The King's Trust
Amount
£500 to £30,000
Who can apply
Aged 18 to 30; on the King's Trust Enterprise programme; plans to start a business within 12 months, or trading for under 1 year; owns at least 50%; right to work in the UK (UK)
Dates
No dates published
Up to £30,000 in total, not guaranteed: a Test My Business Grant up to £500, a grant up to £5,000 and loans of £500 to £25,000, with mentoring and up to 3 years of support. GOV.UK listing last updated 20 June 2025; it gives no closing date.
Outcome: People claiming unemployment-related benefits, latest against 3 years earlier; changes smaller than 1.4 are treated as no clear change. Now: no clear change.
Connect port, naval base, hospital and university jobs to local skills: Apprenticeship starts by residents; Apprenticeship achievements; Sustained employment and pay after apprenticeship; Starts by residents of targeted wards; Resident and workplace median pay.
Open more council contracts to small and local firms, within the law: Tenders received per competition; Share of contract value with SMEs and voluntary organisations; Reserved below-threshold competitions; Pipeline lead time; Local supply-chain spend.
Make home energy upgrades also create local jobs and training: Homes upgraded by programme; Energy certificates rated A to C, lodged in the year; Households in fuel poverty; Local jobs and apprenticeship starts on retrofit contracts; Local firms delivering retrofit work.
What is not yet known
Council Tax Support caseload by area (only a city-wide value of the support is published) (requested under Freedom of Information)
The skills strategy’s annual action plans and their measures (not found on the council website) (not published)
Whether local firms, apprentices or trainees take part in retrofit work funded by Warm Homes grants (no local-employment condition or contractor report found) (not published)
Cost of living is featured by editorial choice. Other issues follow the order respondents gave the council in its 2025 budget consultation, a survey people chose to take part in; it describes respondents, not all residents.
