European Social Fund (ESF) after Brexit

How organisations receiving European Social Fund (ESF) grants will be affected after Brexit.
Stay up to date
A Brexit deal has been agreed but needs to be ratified. The UK could still leave with no deal on 31 October 2019 if the UK and EU do not approve and sign the withdrawal agreement.
This page tells you how to prepare for Brexit and will be updated if anything changes. Sign up for email alerts to get the latest information.
Government guarantee
The government has guaranteed funding for European Social Fund (ESF) projects if there’s a no-deal Brexit. The guarantee will fund new and existing projects until programme closure.
You should continue to make claims for payment and deliver the funding under current arrangements as contracted.
You must follow the existing processes for:
- auditing
- monitoring and evaluation
- making claims for payment
Your managing authority will tell you if a process changes.
Find out more about the government guarantee.
Managing authorities
Existing managing authorities in the UK will continue to manage ESF grants after Brexit.
The ESF programmes are managed by:
- the Department for Work and Pensions in England
- devolved administrations in Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland
- HM Government of Gibraltar
Contact
For all enquiries, contact [email protected].
Published 13 September 2018
Last updated 21 October 2019 + show all updates
- Increased visibility of calls to action. Detailed information on the government guarantee can be found in the linked guide.
- First published.
Responses