Community organisations across Hull and East Yorkshire have been given greater financial certainty after Mayor Luke Campbell MBE confirmed continued Local Growth Fund support through to March 2027, as partners prepare to test a new place-based approach aimed at improving health, employment and community outcomes.
The decision provides a lifeline for voluntary and community sector organisations following the end of UK Shared Prosperity Fund support and a reduction in available local funding. It comes as the Hull and East Yorkshire Combined Authority (HEYCA), the Humber and North Yorkshire Integrated Care Board (ICB), local authorities and community partners develop the new Neighbourhood Health & Prosperity model.
The initiative seeks to bring together health services, skills provision, employment support and community-based assistance into a single, more coordinated system focused on individual needs and local neighbourhoods.
Rather than replacing previous funding arrangements, HEYCA and its partners have used the transition as an opportunity to rethink how services are delivered across the region.
The new approach is designed to address long-standing challenges faced by residents who often have to navigate multiple organisations, repeatedly explain their circumstances and determine for themselves where one service ends and another begins.
Under the emerging model, support will be built around a series of core principles, including:
- Earlier intervention and prevention
- A "no wrong door" approach to accessing help
- Understanding the whole person rather than individual issues
- One coordinated support plan involving multiple agencies where necessary
- Long-term support that adapts as people's circumstances change
The development of the model has involved extensive partnership work between HEYCA, councils, health organisations, primary care providers, employers and community groups.
Following a series of roundtable discussions during late 2025 and early 2026, more than 80 leaders and frontline practitioners gathered at Hull's MKM Stadium in July 2026 to take part in a whole-system design session focused on neighbourhood-based solutions.
Using neighbourhood intelligence, lived experience personas and service journey mapping, participants worked through how residents experience existing services and explored ways to improve coordination and accessibility.
Mayor Luke Campbell said:
“Community organisations are at the heart of our neighbourhoods and make a real difference to people’s lives every day. I’m pleased we’ve been able to provide this certainty while we build a better way of working together on one of my top priorities.
“We’ve listened to local organisations, recognised the challenges they face and worked with them to find a positive way forward. I’m proud of how our team, the councils, the ICB and community organisations have worked through this together.
“The bit I care about is what this feels like for somebody who needs help. If someone is struggling with their health, out of work or just needs a bit of support getting back on their feet, they shouldn’t have to understand which organisation runs which programme or be passed from pillar to post. They should be able to ask for help and get pointed in the right direction.
“By bringing together health, skills, employment and community support, we can help more people into good work, improve health and strengthen our neighbourhoods. I believe Hull and East Yorkshire has the opportunity to lead the way nationally with this approach.”
The first phase of testing will take place in East Hull and Bridlington during autumn 2026.
Partners stress that this will not represent the rollout of a finished service model. Instead, the pilot will build on existing local strengths, testing practical changes and gathering feedback from residents, frontline staff and partner organisations.
The programme will examine whether a more integrated approach can:
- Improve access to support services
- Reduce duplication across organisations
- Strengthen partnership working
- Identify issues earlier
- Achieve better outcomes through existing resources
Lessons learned will also inform activity across the region's five Pride in Place neighbourhoods and help shape future delivery models for urban, rural and coastal communities.
The Neighbourhood Health & Prosperity programme forms a key part of Mayor Campbell's wider growth agenda and aligns closely with HEYCA's Local Growth Plan.
Partners argue that economic growth cannot be sustained solely through investment and job creation. Success also depends on ensuring local people are healthy enough, skilled enough and sufficiently supported to access employment opportunities.
The combined authority believes its powers over adult skills, employment support, transport planning and investment can be better aligned with NHS services, local government programmes and community-based provision to achieve shared neighbourhood outcomes.
Looking ahead, HEYCA and the ICB will establish a joint design and delivery team to oversee the pilot phase. Evidence gathered from East Hull and Bridlington will be used to determine which elements should be expanded, adapted or discontinued as the initiative evolves.
The long-term ambition is to create a more responsive local system where people can access the right help earlier, community organisations are fully embedded in service delivery and residents are better supported to improve their health, employment prospects and overall quality of life.
Image credit: iStock
