Subsidy control

Organisations can be entitled to receive financial assistance from the Government, in the form of subsidy control, subject to meeting relevant criteria. We help local authorities, and those they work with, to understand the criteria and make the application process easier and less time-consuming, especially when working on wider projects.

By involving us at an early stage in the project, we can ensure full consideration is given to subsidy control use, rather than overlooking due to its complexities and potential misunderstanding of use.

Our team has a range of experience and will work with you to meet your targets and contemplate subsidy control from all angles. We work not only with local authorities, but also with housing associations and registered providers, which enables us to provide practical advice using real examples, rather than merely pointing out areas of non-compliance.

Our subsidy control services

You would receive detailed and tailored advice to your specific needs, but we regularly provide advice on:

• whether there is a risk a project could involve a subsidy;
• services of public economic interest (SPEI), such as transport networks, social housing and social services;
• minimal financial assistance, allowing small amounts of subsidies to be given outside of all the requirements of the subsidy control regime;
• subsidy control as part of wider considerations when deciding on suitable alternative-delivery models for public services – including asset-transfer arrangements when spinning out services from councils and the buy-back of corporate support services, grant arrangements and other potential sources of financial assistance;
• subsidy control implications when councils undertake commercial activities; and
• restructuring projects to ensure there is no unlawful use of a subsidy.

By providing practical advice we can help you to understand the subsidy control regime and its various rules and ensure correct application to guarantee public funds are used in the best and most cost-efficient way.

If you need legal support with gaining or providing financial assistance, in the form of a subsidy, please get in touch.

You may also be interested in

Judicial review

View

Dispute resolution

View