Swann and Stewart lead Westminster delegation warning of funding cliff-edge for community services

Robin Swann MP and John Stewart MLA have led a cross-sector delegation to Westminster to warn that proposed changes to UK funding arrangements could place Northern Ireland’s community and voluntary organisations at serious risk.

The delegation travelled to London to challenge the planned replacement of the UK Shared Prosperity Fund (UKSPF) with the new Local Growth Fund, raising concerns that the transition could result in a damaging gap in support for frontline services relied upon by some of the most vulnerable people in society.

The visit follows sustained engagement with the Northern Ireland Council for Voluntary Action (NICVA) and organisations directly affected by the proposed changes, as well as a recent intervention by Mr Swann during Prime Minister’s Questions highlighting the issue at the highest level of government.

Meetings in Westminster included discussions with Miatta Fahnbulleh MP, Minister for Devolution, Communities and Faith at the Department for Communities, Housing and Local Government (DCHLG).

Representatives from the YouthStart Consortium and NICVA were also present, providing first-hand evidence of the essential programmes currently under threat if continuity of funding is not guaranteed.

Following the ministerial meeting, the delegation held further talks with Shadow Minister David Simmonds MP and Tonia Antoniazzi MP, Chair of the Northern Ireland Affairs Committee, underlining the growing cross-party concern surrounding the impact of the funding transition.

Robin Swann MP said the message from Northern Ireland’s community sector was both clear and urgent.

“I am grateful to the Minister, the Shadow Minister and Ms Antoniazzi for their time and for acknowledging the severity of the situation facing our community and voluntary sector. While our discussions were productive, the dialogue must now turn to delivery.

“The transition from the UKSPF to the Local Growth Fund threatens to pull the rug out from under organisations that provide a lifeline to some of our most vulnerable citizens. We are urging the DCHLG, the Northern Ireland Office and the Northern Ireland Executive to work together to ensure no gaps in funding are able to emerge.”

Mr Swann warned that without coordinated action between Westminster and Stormont, long-established services supporting young people, families and those furthest from employment could face an uncertain future.

John Stewart MLA emphasised the real-world consequences of funding instability for community-based organisations, pointing to groups such as Include Youth as examples of services whose impact goes far beyond balance sheets.

“Groups like Include Youth aren’t just a ‘nice to have’ - they play such a vital role in our local communities. Seeing the passion and expertise that Include Youth and NICVA brought to Westminster only drives home what’s at stake here. We cannot stand by and watch this funding disappear without a proper plan to protect the people who rely on these services.

“My colleague Andy Allen MLA has also been consistently highlighting these same pressures at Stormont, and it is clear that a unified approach across all levels of government is required to protect the valuable services that these organisations provide.”

Representatives from NICVA and the YouthStart Consortium told ministers that even a short interruption in funding could force organisations to scale back programmes, lose skilled staff, or shut down services entirely — outcomes that would disproportionately affect young people and communities already facing economic and social disadvantage.

The delegation has called for urgent clarity on how the Local Growth Fund will operate in Northern Ireland and what safeguards will be put in place to ensure continuity for existing projects currently supported under UKSPF.

With community and voluntary organisations often acting as a first line of support for those in need, campaigners have warned that failure to address the funding transition could undo years of progress in tackling inequality, unemployment and social exclusion across Northern Ireland.