ALLSPRING UTILITIES & HIGH INCOME FUND

The Board intends to bring before the Meeting the matter set forth in the accompanying notice. Holders of common shares (“Shares”) of the Fund (“Shareholders”) are being asked to vote for the re-election of Messrs. Timothy Penny and James Polisson and Ms. Pamela Wheelock as Trustees. You can vote by returning your properly executed proxy card in the envelope provided or you may vote by telephone or Internet by following the instructions at the end of this proxy statement. When you complete and sign your proxy card, the proxies named will vote on your behalf at the Meeting (or any adjournments thereof) exactly as you have indicated. If you return a signed proxy card but no choice is specified, your Shares will be voted FOR the election of each of the nominees named in the enclosed proxy card. If any other matters are properly presented at the Meeting for action, the persons named as proxies will vote in accordance with the views of management of the Fund. Shareholders, including a broker who may hold Shares on your behalf, may revoke a proxy prior to the Meeting by giving timely written notice of such revocation to the Fund at the address above, by submitting a subsequent proxy timely and in accordance with the methods prescribed by this proxy statement, or by attending the Meeting in person or telephonically and voting at that time..

The Fund’s Amended and Restated Agreement and Declaration of Trust (the “Declaration”) provides that the holders of thirty-three and one-third percent (33 1/3%) of the Fund’s Shares issued and outstanding, entitled to vote in person or by proxy, shall constitute a quorum for the transaction of business at the Meeting. Votes may be cast IN FAVOR OF or AGAINST each proposal or you may ABSTAIN from voting. Abstentions, broker non-votes (i.e., Shares for which a broker or nominee returns a proxy but as to which (i) instructions have not been received from the beneficial owners or other persons entitled to vote and (ii) the broker or nominee does not have discretionary voting power on a particular matter), and votes that are withheld will count for purposes of determining whether a quorum is present and will have the effect of a vote against each proposal.

A plurality vote of the shares represented in person or by proxy at the Meeting and entitled to vote is required for the election of Trustees.

In the event a quorum is not present at the Meeting or a quorum is present but sufficient votes to approve a proposal are not received, the persons named as proxies may propose one or more adjournments of the Meeting to permit further solicitation of proxies as to a proposal. The persons named as proxies will vote in favor of an adjournment those votes that may be voted in favor of the proposal. The persons named as proxies will vote against any such adjournment those votes marked as against the proposal. The Meeting may also be adjourned by the chair of the Meeting in his or her discretion. Abstentions and broker non-votes will not be voted on a motion to adjourn. Any proposal for which sufficient favorable votes have been received by the time of the Meeting may be acted upon and considered final regardless of whether the Meeting is adjourned to permit additional solicitation with respect to any other proposal. In