SIGOMA Chair welcomes the vital Recovery Grant uplift

Posted on February 11, 2026

SIGOMA has been campaigning for a boost to the Recovery Grant to ensure that funding reaches the councils and communities who need it the most.

This week, as the Government delivered our ask, our Chair spoke to The Guardian about this much-needed uplift:

‘Sir Stephen Houghton, chair of the Special Interest Group of Municipal Authorities, welcomed the uprated recovery grants, saying: “We strongly welcome the additional money being targeted to places with significant deprivation and needs.”’

This recognition is an important step forward for the communities we represent.

You can read the full article in The Guardian here. 

The LGC also covered the significance of this announcement:

'Another significant change announced today was the expansion of the recovery grant, with the government allocating an extra £440m over the three-year settlement.

Those Labour MPs, including former local government minister Jim McMahon, who had been lobbying for more funding this can count as a win...

Nonetheless it is still a significant boost for those set to benefit. Sir Steve Houghton (Lab), chair of the Special Interest Group of Metropolitan Authorities, said it was “pleasing ministers have responded to the case” and that the funding will “ease the financial challenges” for places hit hard by austerity'.

You can read the full article in the LGC here.