Guidance

Subsidy Control Act 2022: Streamlined Routes

Streamlined Routes (also known as Streamlined Subsidy Schemes) are a type of subsidy scheme made by the UK government for use by any UK public authority.

From:
Department for Business and Trade and Department for Business, Energy & Industrial Strategy
Published
13 December 2022
Last updated
1213 January 2026 — See all updates

Documents

Arts and culture Streamlined Route

Unnumbered act paper

PDF, 267 KB, 12 pages

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Arts and culture Streamlined Route guidance

PDF, 347 KB, 24 pages

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Community and regeneration Streamlined Route

Unnumbered act paper

PDF, 304 KB, 15 pages

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Community and regeneration Streamlined Route guidance

PDF, 329 KB, 29 pages

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Research, development and innovation Streamlined Route

Unnumbered act paper

PDF, 222 KB, 16 pages

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Research, development and innovation Streamlined Route guidance

PDF, 326 KB, 38 pages

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Energy usage Streamlined Route

Unnumbered act paper

PDF, 254 KB, 18 pages

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Energy usage Streamlined Route guidance

PDF, 360 KB, 41 pages

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Local growth Streamlined Route

Unnumbered act paper

PDF, 154 KB, 16 pages

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Local growth Streamlined Route guidance

PDF, 342 KB, 39 pages

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Details

Streamlined Routes are voluntary mechanisms that can be used by UK public authorities to give certain subsidies.

There will be no need to assess subsidies given under a Streamlined Route against the subsidy control principles. That is, providing they comply with conditions set out in the Streamlined Route.

We have made 5 Streamlined Routes. Two were made and laid before Parliament on 12 January 2026. Three were made on 5 January 2023 and laid before Parliament on 9 January 2023.

The 5 Streamlined Routes are for:

  • community regeneration (subsidy control number: SC11450)
  • arts and culture (subsidy control number: SC11449)
  • research, development and innovation (subsidy control number: SC10780)
  • energy usage (subsidy control number: SC10781)
  • local growth (subsidy control number: SC10782)

We have published accompanying guidance to help you interpret and comply with the Streamlined Routes. You should consider the guidance documents when deciding to give subsidies under a Streamlined Route.

For further information, email subsidycontrol@businessandtrade.gov.uk.

Updates to this page

Published 13 December 2022
Last updated 1213 January 2026 + show all updates

  1. ‘Arts and culture Streamlined Route guidance’ was replaced with an updated version.

  2. Finalised Streamlined Routes documents added to the page for 'community and regeneration' and 'arts and culture'. These were laid in Parliament on 12 January 2026.

  3. As of 6 April 2025, the monetary thresholds for what qualify as SMEs under the Companies Act 2006 are changing. DBT has updated the Streamlined Routes guidance to confirm that the correct definition of SMEs should be understood by reference to the Companies Act 2006 as was in force in January 2023.

  4. Subsidy control email address for Department for Business, Energy & Industrial Strategy (BEIS) replaced with one for Department for Business and Trade (DBT).

  5. Finalised Streamlined Routes documents added and laid in Parliament on 9 January 2023.

  6. First published.

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