NIHR invests £55m to tackle health inequalities in the UK

The National Institute of Health and Care Research (NIHR) has provided £55 million worth of research investment to tackle health inequalities and improve health outcomes in local areas across the UK.

NIHR is investing a second wave of funding into 11 new Health Determinants Research Collaborations (HDRCs) over the next five years.

The local government partnerships will boost research capacity and capability in some of the UK’s most deprived areas. They will span the devolved administrations and include a mixture of urban, rural and coastal areas.

Boosting research capacity in coastal and rural communities is a key part of NIHR’s work with under-served communities.

The 11 new HDRCs went ‘live’ on 1 January 2024. A further 6 HDRCs will start on 1 January 2025, providing agreed criteria are met during their development year.

The new HDRCs follow in the footsteps of 13 successful HDRCs already established following the first wave of funding. This will bring the total to 24 live HDRCs as of 1 January 2024, with an expectation that the total cohort will grow to 30 HDRCs, with an annual recurring investment of £30 million.