National incentives

摘要

The UK has trimmed the aid extended to industry in recent years, and there are fewer types of incentives on offer. Grants and incentives vary by region (England, Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland). The UK's departure from the EU will result in changes to some aspects of the UK's incentives regime, but details remain vague as of November 2020. Meanwhile, the coronavirus (Covid-19) pandemic has resulted in the introduction of emergency government support measures for businesses operating in the UK from March 2020 onwards. As an EU member, the UK was included in the EU's revised map of assisted areas for the period 2014-20. The UK's departure from the bloc on January 31st 2020 means that the country's access to the EU's development funding programmes will cease once a post-exit transition period expires, which is expected at end-2020. HM Treasury announced in 2016 that all UK projects that secured EU funding prior to the date on which the UK left the EU would have their funding guaranteed if the project continued beyond the departure date. This guarantee covers projects financed by the European Social Fund and the European Regional Development Fund, as well as certain scientific research funding. In 2018 HM Treasury further clarified its position, stating that any funding from EU programmes that UK-based businesses or other organisations secured in the period to end-2020 would be guaranteed by the UK government.