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How councils can unlock 18 million funding

Blog
Ashley Wilkins
15 Jul 2026

66 local authorities across England are eligible to unlock part of £18 million funding to create, improve or enhance playgrounds.

The funding, announced by Chancellor Rachel Reeves at the Autumn Budget, provides each local authority with £270,000 across the 2026-27 and 2027-28 financial years.

The Playground Fund is a non-competitive grant programme, with funding allocated to 66 selected local authorities in England identified through government analysis of deprivation and playground provision.

Of the 66 eligible authorities in England, 23 are in the North West, 10 in the North East, 8 in Yorkshire and Humber, 8 in the South East, 6 in the East Midlands, 6 in the West Midlands, 4 in the East of England and 1 in the South West.

Approximately 200 playgrounds across England are expected to benefit from the funding, with each local authority able to use its allocation across up to three playgrounds.

The funding aims to improve children and young people’s access to high-quality, accessible and inclusive playgrounds in England’s most deprived communities.

The fund targets communities with higher levels of child income deprivation and weaker existing playground provision.

Led by the Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government (MHCLG), the programme sets out three core delivery objectives for local authorities.

• create, improve or enhance three playgrounds that are inclusive, free to access for children, families, caregivers, and the wider community

• undertake proportionate, meaningful engagement with children, young people, families, caregivers, residents and relevant local stakeholders throughout site selection, design and delivery

• participate in monitoring and evaluation to help assess whether the fund has improved access to high-quality, accessible and inclusive playgrounds, and contributed to wider outcomes in your local area

To access the funding, local authorities must complete a submission form by 17 August 2026. The submission must demonstrate how the authority will deliver the funded activity in line with the programme's objectives.

The submission must include details of community engagement activities, including who has been involved, whether the proposed projects involve new playgrounds or the refurbishment of existing sites, and the estimated capital and revenue costs for each project.

Wakefield-based public-sector buying organisation YPO is owned by 13 local authorities across Yorkshire and the North West, with ten of these authorities being eligible for the funding. YPO’s not-for-profit business model has enabled it to return £164 million in dividends to the public sector, and their wide range of procurement frameworks enables local authorities to unlock maximum value for money across a range of products and services.

YPO’s Design, Supply and Installation of Outdoor Sports Surfaces and Activity Equipment Framework, is a comprehensive framework for procuring and installing outdoor sports surfaces and activity equipment tailored for educational and local authority sectors.

This fully managed framework offers customers access to a range of trusted suppliers for the design, supply and installation of outdoor sports, playground and activity equipment. Covering sports pitches, MUGAs, playground markings, outdoor fitness and SEND-inclusive solutions, it provides education settings and local authorities with a compliant route to market for creating engaging outdoor spaces.

Ryan Pygott, the Category Buyer who oversees the framework, said, “This funding is a great opportunity for local authorities to improve playground provision in some of the communities that need it most. With around 200 sites across England expected to benefit, the fund has the potential to make a real difference to thousands of children and families. By engaging with residents throughout the process, councils can ensure these spaces reflect the needs of their communities and deliver lasting value.”

Ashley Wilkins YPO

Author

Ashley Wilkins

PR and Communications Officer for Public Sector

YPO

Ashley is a PR and Communications officer for the public sector side of the organisation. This involves supporting communications to local authorities, emergency services, housing, NHS and the wider public sector. Ashley is responsible for assisting with PR and media relations, stakeholder communications and public affairs, content strategy and creation, research, as well as corporate comms such as strategic partnerships, sponsorship, events, awards and delivering the annual report.