Data released under freedom of information laws shows that most Conservative levelling up projects remain unfinished years after funding was allocated, contradicting government promises of rapid progress on regional equality.
The Guardian reviewed freedom of information data and found 821 levelling up projects out of 1,347 had not been finalised as of May this year. Across the UK, 73 council areas that had successfully bid for projects had yet to see a single one fully completed. The Guardian identified 59 additional projects completed after the data collection period.
The levelling up initiative was a flagship Conservative policy aimed at reducing regional inequalities across the country. The scale of incomplete work suggests significant delays in delivering on that commitment. No specific timeline for project completion was provided in the available material.
The data does not indicate why projects remain unfinished or what obstacles councils have encountered. The Guardian's analysis focused on completion status as of May, with some work progressing after that point.