UMF Grant Agreements - are you on the allocation list?
The Primary Care UMF offers an opportunity for GP practices to improve their premises. Securing the grant requires navigating complex legal agreements. Act promptly to meet these requirements to ensure your practice benefits from this investment.
The Primary Care Utilisation and Modernisation Fund (UMF) is a £102 million pot to support improvements in the primary care estate, enhancing infrastructure, expanding capacity for GPs, and enabling additional patient appointments. A list of practices earmarked to receive grants has been published.
If you are one of those practices listed, congratulations in securing the allocation! However, please note, the grant funding is not guaranteed until you enter into a Grant Agreement.
The type of Grant Agreement you will need to enter into depends on the nature of your property interest (freehold or leasehold) and the amount of grant funding being provided.
Whist the Grant Agreements are presented as being in "standard form," it is important your practice obtains legal advice to understand your obligations and liabilities under both the Grant Agreement and the associated the NHS (General Medical Services Premises Costs) Directions 2024 (Directions).
Where grants are over £144,000, Long Form Grant Agreements are required which include additional obligations including a Legal Charge over your property, which will need the approval of any existing bank who has security in place, a certificate on title to be prepared for NHS England by your solicitor and potentially warranties from your contractor and professional team where works being carried out are substantial.
Where premises are leasehold, you will also need to consider if Landlord's consent is required for the works and the Legal Charge, if your lease actually allows you to charge it and ensure that the remaining lease term is long enough to cover the appropriate minimum period of use required under the Directions for the level of grant provided.
We understand that the UMF Grant funding is only available in the 2025/26 NHS Financial year, so if you are on the UMF funding list, we would encourage you to engage with your solicitor as soon as possible to understand what additional property paperwork is required, as it can take some time to finalise.
Why Choose VWV?
Here at VWV, we are already supporting a number of practices with their UMF Grant Agreement arrangements and have been working closely with NHS England's solicitors to understand their requirements and streamline the process for practices as far as possible.
Our team combines legal expertise with a deep understanding of the healthcare sector, particularly the unique challenges faced by GP practices. We pride ourselves on providing practical, client-focused advice that is clear, concise, and tailored to your needs and working collaboratively with other solicitors to get the deal over the line.