European Social Fund in England

Regional ESF Frameworks

Regional ESF frameworks play an important role in ensuring that ESF contributes directly to regional employment and skills priorities within the structure of the national ESF programme. With the amount of ESF available in England substantially less in the 2007-2013 programming period, it is essential that ESF is targeted effectively to add value to national and regional priorities.

Regional ESF frameworks show how ESF spending can complement regional employment and skills priorities, as set out in the Regional Economic Strategy. They show how regional ESF spending will be targeted, for example towards particular disadvantaged groups, or in terms of employee training or particular business sectors. The Regional Skills Partnerships, and the Mayor in London, play a leading role in developing the frameworks. The Partnerships bring together Regional Development Agencies, Learning and Skills Councils (LSCs), Jobcentre Plus, the Small Business Service, the Skills for Business Network and other regional partners including employers, local authorities and the voluntary sector. Their remit is to agree how adult skills, workforce development, business support and employment services can be planned, managed and delivered coherently.

During the development of the regional ESF frameworks, the Regional Skills Partnerships consult with regional stakeholders, including voluntary and community sector representatives, local authorities and the social partners. The Partnership board formally agrees the framework.

Regional Skills Partnerships (and the Mayor in London) have now developed and consulted on regional ESF frameworks for the first half of the 2007-2013 ESF programme. The frameworks are being used by ESF Co-financing Organisations to inform their Co-financing Plans for 2007-2010. The Co-financing Plans describe the activities, outputs and results that CFOs will procure to contribute to the national programme and regional frameworks.

The Regional ESF Frameworks are available here:

• Cornwall and the Isles of Scilly
• East of England
• East Midlands
• London
• North East
• North West
• South East
• South West
• West Midlands
• Yorkshire and the Humber
• Gibraltar

Regional Financial Allocations

The table below sets out regional ESF financial allocations in sterling based on the current Treasury planning rate (€1:£0.68). The allocations were determined by regional worklessness and skills data, as set out in the Government's response to the consultation on the UK National Strategic Reference Framework which was published by the Department of Trade and Industry on 23 October 2006. The Regional Competitiveness and Employment Objective allocations do not include technical assistance funding which will be managed centrally.