Legal and General: Health Equity Fund

Overview

Research from this partnership has shown that:

• Tackling the root causes of health and social inequalities – the conditions in which people are born, grow, live, work and age – can prevent or improve poor health outcomes and increase healthy life expectancy
• Business and investor involvement in addressing health and social inequalities can drive positive outcomes for people and communities and generate commercial and economic benefits (such as increased productivity) at local, regional, and national levels.

This Fund initially launched in Spring 2024 with £1 million available for projects based in the North East of England. A further £2 million is now available for UK wide projects.

Objectives of Fund

The funding is intended to support place-based projects that address the social determinants of health (SDH): non-medical social and economic factors, such as housing, education, infrastructure, or quality of work. These factors create and shape the conditions in which we are born, grow, live, work, and age, but they are not always equitable.

The funding is for not-for-profit organisations with projects or ideas for projects to be delivered in regions and communities in the UK.

There is particular interest in proposals that can demonstrate:

• Local impact on reducing health inequality, addressing under-served communities.
• Potential to scale up and be replicated nationally.
• Potential to become financially sustainable in the medium term.
• Particularly innovative approaches.
• Initiatives which can demonstrate local support and key stakeholder engagement (including support from Local and / or Combined Authorities).

Who can apply?

Applications will be considered from charities, social enterprises, community interest groups, NHS Trusts or primary care organisations, universities and academic organisations.

Eligible Costs

The funding is to be used for project costs.

Examples of projects that could be supported include:

• Inner-city schools in areas of deprivation.
• Community programmes which address the social determinants behind pressures on A&E services.
• Partnerships raising awareness of the contribution the natural environment makes to health and wellbeing.

Funding Available

A total of £2 million is available for UK wide projects with grants of up to £75,000 per project.