The Commission’s staff working document presents the main findings of the mid-term evaluation of the Fund for European Aid to the Most Deprived (FEAD) for the period 2014-2017.

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Despite its limited resources (3.8 billion complemented by 15% of match funding) the evaluation confirms that FEAD has provided much-needed food and basic material assistance to a large number of most deprived persons (estimated at 12,7 million), and therefore has helped to alleviate the worst forms of poverty. 

Support has reached, in particular, families with children at risk of poverty, older persons with limited income, homeless persons, persons with disabilities and persons who are often not reached by public services, such as migrants.

The evaluation recommends  that the future programmes continue focusing on those who are most in need and where funding gaps exist in the respective country, and maintain flexibility to implement both types of programmes in particular in case of a merger with ESF.