070/21 Revisions to National Eligibility and Programme Guidance
Updated 29 February 2024
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This publication is available at https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/esf-action-notes-2014-to-2020-programme/07021-revisions-to-national-eligibility-and-programme-guidance
| Date Issued | 26 August 2021 |
| Review Date | 27 August 2022 |
1. Who should read
Managing Authority, Co-Financing Organisations (CFOs), Direct Bid projects, and Intermediate Bodies (IBs)
2. Purpose
To notify European Social Fund (ESF) stakeholders of a number of changes that have been made to the ESF National Eligibility and Programme Guidance to incorporate some easements set out in the Managing Authority’s COVID-19 Q and A document that will remain in place for the rest of the ESF programme.
3. Background
A number of amendments have been made to the National Eligibility Rules and Programme Guidance. Key amendments to note are as follows:
The following bullet point has been added to the `Direct Staff Costs’ section of the guidance.
- If an organisation provides their staff with sick pay, they can submit a claim for salary costs for a period of COVID-related self-isolating as per their policy or contract with the employee. If the organisation does not provide sick pay, then Statutory Sick Pay would need to be considered for periods of self-isolation
The following bullet points have been added to the ‘Premises’ section of the guidance concerning cancellation and event costs due to local COVID related restrictions.
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From 1 February 2020, where projects have incurred cancellation and other costs related to event bookings that cannot go ahead due to local COVID-related restrictions, such costs can be considered as eligible expenditure and will need to be evidenced. However, the following must be taken into account:
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the expenditure will not be considered eligible if there is an insurance contract in place and the project can claim the cost
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if a credit note has been issued, costs are not eligible the project should have exhausted all possibilities to claim the expenditure incurred by other means e.g. travel insurance
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if the project can obtain a partial repayment, only the remaining costs are eligible
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Minor amendments have been made to:
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the Croatian Citizens section (amending a typo and cross-referring to guidance on the UK Government’s EU Settlement Scheme and wider eligibility guidance)
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the Ineligible Expenditure section – an additional bullet point confirming that the working from home allowance is not eligible expenditure in ESF
4. Action
To note the revised ESF National Eligibility Rules and Programme Guidance.
5. Contact
If you have any questions about this Action Note please contact esf.2014-2020@dwp.gov.uk