Almost all UK councils have not spent total share of levelling-up fund

Time constraints, red tape and lack of resources to distribute the money are the main reasons for not allocating cash

A multibillion pound fund designed to boost levelling up and replace crucial EU funding is being left unspent by the vast majority of councils, the Observer can disclose.

The main reasons for a significant underspend in the shared prosperity fund were money being handed over too late to spend, a lengthy and bureaucratic process and a hollowing-out of council expertise.