GLA as an Intermediate body: Programme Management
In London, the European Social Fund (ESF) is managed by the Greater London Authority who acts as an Intermediate Body (IB) on behalf of the Department for Work and Pensions (the Managing Authority). Although the United Kingdom has now left the European Union, under the terms of the Withdrawal Agreement, EU programmes will continue to operate in the UK until their closure in 2023-24.
Governance
On a day to day basis, the IB role has been undertaken by the GLA’s European Programmes Management Unit (EPMU). Its responsibilities have included:
- Developing calls for funding and tendering opportunities
- Appraising applications
- Signing contractually-binding funding agreements
- Performance monitoring and management
- Carrying out pre- and post-expenditure checks on projects and reclaiming ESF and ERDF funds where necessary
This IB role is different to the GLA Co-financing Organisation (CFO), which is responsible for the distribution of ESF funds at a regional level.
ESF is disbursed through two means:
- Direct award: Projects can be directly funded by the GLA’s European Programmes Management Unit (EPMU), in which case they are required to provide their own match funding. Projects complement mainstream funding and Co-Financed provision. All calls for proposal are now closed.
- Co-financed: the majority of projects are commissioned and managed by a Co-Financing Organisation (CFO) who are responsible for providing the match funding for the ESF provision that they procure.
There are four national CFOs: the Department for Work and Pensions (DWP), the Education and Skills Funding Agency (ESFA), the National Lottery Community Fund, and Her Majesty's Prison and Probation Service.
There are five local CFOs: the GLA and the four sub-regional partnerships of London boroughs (West London Alliance, Central London Forward, Local London and South London Partnership).
LEP Area ESIF Committees, including the London ESIF Committee, provided continued advice on the needs and opportunities in an area and on the strategic fit of applications for funding.
Programme Development
The LEAP has been notionally allocated ca. £508 million of funding for ESF to create jobs and upskill employees in London. The LEAP has been responsible for the strategic oversight of the European Structural and Investment Funds (ESIF) on behalf of the Government.
In London, ESF will support the LEAP’s three skills and employment themes:
- promoting sustainable employment and progression outcomes
- ensuring individuals and employers are better informed to drive the skills and employment system
- engaging with London’s businesses to help drive growth in the Capital.
Need a document on this page in an accessible format?
If you use assistive technology (such as a screen reader) and need a version of a PDF or other document on this page in a more accessible format, please get in touch via our online form and tell us which format you need.
It will also help us if you tell us which assistive technology you use. We’ll consider your request and get back to you in 5 working days.