UK Prevention Research Partnership (UKPRP) - Phase 1

The UK Prevention Research Partnership (UKPRP) is a national initiative that brings together charities, research councils, and health departments to fund research into how to prevent non-communicable diseases—such as heart disease, cancer, and diabetes—at a population level, rather than treating them after they develop. This matters because most health research focuses on individual treatments or cures, but the biggest drivers of chronic disease—like poor diet, air pollution, and social inequality—are shaped by the environments and policies people live in. The UKPRP fills a gap by supporting interdisciplinary teams that study these upstream causes, aiming to identify strategies that work across entire communities. If successful, the partnership could shift how public health decisions are made. Instead of relying on individual behaviour change, policymakers might adopt structural interventions—such as reformulating food products, redesigning urban spaces to encourage physical activity, or regulating alcohol pricing—that reduce disease rates and narrow health inequalities. The impact would be felt in everyday life, but also in the quieter systems that shape health: planning regulations, school meal standards, and local transport infrastructure. This is applied research with a clear practical goal: to make healthier choices easier for everyone, regardless of income.