Innovate UK will invest £2.5m to scale community-led health projects that improve outcomes and back prevention.
The funding supports local schemes that help people eat well and move more, aligning with the NHS shift from treatment to prevention and the government’s Plan for Change.
Backed via Innovate UK’s Contracts for Innovation — an approach that lets the public sector buy and trial solutions with 100 per cent funding — the programme gives innovators a route to early adoption.
Projects include affordable healthy meal kits with cookery classes for low-income families; support for 2,000 people with hip or knee osteoarthritis to stay active, manage pain and mental health while awaiting NHS care; and help for residents with prediabetes to prevent progression to type 2 diabetes. A digital trail platform will also encourage everyday activity in schools, communities and workplaces.
The investment supports the NHS 10 Year Health Plan focus on obesity and reducing health inequalities, aiming to ease pressure on services while driving innovation-led growth.
Science and technology secretary Liz Kendall said: “We all know that eating well and being as active as possible are key pillars of a healthy life. But that’s often easier said than done. So we’re backing innovation that breaks down barriers to healthier living, from apps offering nutritious recipes to platforms helping children get more exercise. This is part of the government’s commitment to use technology to improve people’s lives and create a future that works for all.”
Dr Cynthia Bullock, director of healthy lives at Innovate UK, said: “Community-led innovations have a key role in tackling the UK’s health challenges and driving business growth. By supporting these initiatives through Contracts for Innovation, we’re investing in practical, locally driven approaches rooted in lived experience that improve wellbeing and reduce health inequalities, while also creating new opportunities for businesses to grow and deliver long-term value for the UK economy and public services.”
