Search by Category:

DfE’s Condition Improvement Fund – CMA Launches Investigation into Possible Bid-Rigging

On 11 December the Competition and Markets Authority (‘CMA’) announced that it had launched an investigation into suspected bid-rigging in relation to a key government fund for improving the condition of school buildings. Bid-rigging has serious competition and procurement implications, and the CMA has issued almost £60 million in fines in the last year alone to firms who

Continue reading

Fueling Change: How local authorities can unlock the benefits of the Warm Homes Grant

The Department for Energy Security and Net Zero (DESNZ) announced the Warm Homes: Local Grant scheme (Warm Homes Grant) will begin delivery in April 2025 as part of the government’s Warm Homes Plan to upgrade five million homes over the next five years in a bid to cut bills, deliver warmer homes and deal with fuel poverty.

Scope of the

Continue reading

Class Action Tsunami: Water companies face £1.5bn claim for allegedly misleading customers and regulators

The Competition Appeal Tribunal (“CAT”) is this week considering a landmark class action brought against six of England’s largest water companies. The case will have implications for Ofwat, water companies and customers alike. Our regulatory and competition experts consider what we know so far and what lies ahead for the parties and billpayers.

Case Overview

The landmark class action brought

Continue reading

Durham v Durham: first subsidy control challenge dismissed

Earlier this summer the Competition Appeal Tribunal (the “CAT”) handed down its first judgment under the new subsidy control regime in the Durham Company Limited v Durham County Council[1]. The CAT dismissed the section 70 challenge, finding in favour of the Council. Here, Oliver Slater and Shyann Sheehy consider the CAT’s judgment and discuss what it means for

Continue reading

Minimal financial assistance for grant recipients

The Subsidy Control Act 2022 (the “Act”) introduced a new concept of minimal financial assistance (“MFA”), whereby public authorities can award low value subsidies without having to comply with the stringent requirements of the Act. As such, the MFA regime represents an attractive route for public authorities to award grant funding without performing the usual procedural steps.

However, before a

Continue reading

Minimal financial assistance: considerations for public authorities

The Subsidy Control Act 2022 (the “Act”) introduced a new concept of minimal financial assistance (“MFA”), whereby public authorities can award low value subsidies without having to undertake a full compliance assessment. However there are still requirements. We explore the MFA regime and associated procedural requirements below.

What are the exemptions?

Public authorities do not need to carry out a

Continue reading