SAU opens review of £350m Critical Chemicals Resilience Fund

The Subsidy Advice Unit has accepted a mandatory referral from the Department for Business, Innovation, Science and TradeGOV concerning the proposed Critical Chemicals Resilience Fund (CCRF) subsidy schemeGOV, a Subsidy Scheme of Particular InterestGOV. The reporting period began on 10 September 2026GOV; the SAU will evaluate BIST's assessment of whether the scheme complies with the subsidy control requirementsGOV and publish its report within 30 working daysLegislation, with publication scheduled for 21 October 2026GOV.

The CCRF is a £350 million schemeGOV intended to improve resilience in the UK chemicals sector, operating until the end of March 2030. Producers of strategically important chemicals — including producers of chemicals used in Critical National Infrastructure sectors and contributors to key supply chains — will be invited to apply for funding for new capital projectsGOV, with the fund due to open in the autumn. Successful applicants could receive up to 50 per cent of a proposed project's eligible costs where the project improves the resilience and competitiveness of the business. Eligible companies have been identified by BIST and ratified by a panel of industry experts; applicants must submit a business case covering the resilience challenge, proposed investments, expected benefits, delivery arrangements, additionality and value for money, assessed against criteria including strategic fit, deliverability, additionality, expected resilience outcomes, value for money and environmental considerations.

Third parties wishing to comment on matters relevant to the SAU's evaluation of the Assessment of Compliance must send submissions by 23 September 2026GOV to sau-ccrf2026@cma.gov.uk, copying dbtchemicals@businessandtrade.gov.uk, stating a contact address and the capacity in which the submission is made. A submission is taken into account only if it can be shared with BISTGOV: the SAU sends a copy of each submission to BIST with its reportGOV, so express consent for sharing the full unredacted submission is requiredGOV, and commercially confidential parts should be identified as such.

The SAU's report provides an evaluation of BIST's assessment of whether the scheme complies with the subsidy control requirementsGOV; the copy of each third-party submission sent to BIST with the report allows BIST to take the submission into account in deciding whether to grant or modify the schemeGOV.

Legal basis: mandatory referral of a subsidy scheme of particular interest under section 52 of the Subsidy Control Act 2022GOV, with the SAU reporting within the 30-working-day reporting period under section 53GOV.