Local authorities (upper tier and unitary) are
responsible for improving the health of their local
population and reducing health inequalities.
In the financial year ending 2021, local authorities will
receive a £3.279 billion public health grant for their
public health duties for all ages.
The local authority circular sets out the allocations and
conditions for using the grant.
Written ministerial statement by (Parliamentary Under
Secretary of State (Minister for Prevention, Public
Health and Primary Care)): Today I am publishing
the public health allocations to local authorities in
England for 2020-21, based on the 2019 Spending Round.
Funding for local government’s health responsibilities is
an essential complement to our plans to invest strongly
in both the NHS and social care, and an important element
of our commitment to focus on prevention of ill health.
The 2019 Spending Round provided a 0.9% real-terms
increase (£85m cash) for local authority public health
funding in 2020/21. In addition to this increase I now
intend to make an additional £60m available through the
grant, from DHSC central budgets.
Through the public health grant and the pilot of 100%
retained business rate funding for local authorities in
Greater Manchester, we are spending £3.279 billion on
local authority public health in 2020-21. This in
addition to what the NHS spends on preventative
interventions such as immunisation and screening.
The 2020-21 grant will continue to be subject to
conditions, including a ring-fence requiring local
authorities to use the grant exclusively for public
health activity.
