30-10-2025
Public sector investment on prevention can for the first time be mapped and measured using an approach developed by CIPFA and supported by The Health Foundation.
Understanding Preventative Investment sets out a four-step approach that enables councils and other public sector organisations to quantify their prevention spending, making it visible so it can be protected and prioritised. The framework has already been tested with four councils in England and Wales: the London Borough of Merton, Three Rivers District Council, Wigan Metropolitan Borough Council and Rhondda Cynon Taf County Borough Council. CIPFA is also collaborating with the Office of the Future Generations Commissioner for Wales and the Scottish Government as they work to map and measure their own preventative investment.
Since 2010, progress in life expectancy and healthy life expectancy has stalled, leaving more people living longer with multiple conditions. Without urgent action to shift resources upstream, services risk becoming locked into crisis management.
Prevention spending — investment in activities that increase the resilience of individuals and communities and reduce or delay the likelihood or severity of future demand for reactive services — offers a route to long-term sustainability. By tackling root causes that drive demand, such as poor-quality employment, social isolation and housing insecurity, preventative investment can help people stay well for longer and reduce pressure on public services. Making this investment visible in financial terms empowers leaders to make informed, long-term decisions that allocate resources effectively and plan for a more sustainable future.
CIPFA CEO Owen Mapley, said:
“CIPFA’s report, supported by The Health Foundation, proves that prevention can be quantified — a huge step forward. Now, we must put this into practice. I urge all public sector organisations to trial the framework in this report and make prevention a priority in their financial planning”.
The Health Foundation Director of Health Jo Bibby, said:
“The health of the population is no longer on an upward trajectory. If we are to future-proof our services, prevention must move from an aspiration to reality. This report provides a practical way forward, helping councils and partners invest in the activities and environments that keep people healthy for longer.”
Deputy Future Generations Commissioner for Wales and Director for Health Marie Brousseau-Navarro, said:
"Our children and grandchildren need us to invest better in their future — but at the moment, we're storing up huge problems for them to fix, including worsening health and inequality.
“The pilots and data show that we have a good chance of better investing in the things that keep us well physically and mentally, and making a difference and improving lives now, and this collaboration offers a practical blueprint to help organisations spend on health not just illness."
CIPFA and The Health Foundation are urging public sector organisations to adopt the four-step approach, embedding prevention into strategy and decision-making. Public sector organisations are also encouraged to join a new community of practice on preventative investment which will launch in 2026.
At the same time, CIPFA and The Health Foundation call on the UK government to make prevention a whole-of-government priority by embedding preventative thinking across all departments and portfolios.
While the approach builds on strong evidence from health and wellbeing, prevention extends far beyond the NHS. It also applies to areas such as housing, education, financial wellbeing and community safety — where early, sustained investment can address root causes and reduce the need for more costly interventions later on. In doing so, prevention becomes not only a health strategy but a comprehensive approach to creating stronger, fairer, and more resilient communities.
To make this shift, government should develop a clear national picture of preventative investment and align accountability and budget processes with long-term outcomes, moving beyond short-term funding and pilot projects.
Notes to Editor
- Read the Understanding Preventative Investment report
- Access the plug and play toolkit
- This project is part of The Health Foundation’s Healthy Lives programme. The Health Foundation is an independent charity committed to bringing about better health and health care for people in the UK.
- Merton Council’s “Borough of Sport” priority demonstrated that two-thirds of its £525,000 expenditure in 2023/24 was preventative, while also leveraging an additional £2.4 million in external investment.
- Other councils applying the framework were able to evidence preventative investment in areas such as community partnerships, financial wellbeing, and early family support — showing that prevention extends far beyond the NHS and into the wider social and economic determinants of health.
- A CIPFA spokesperson is available to interview. Please contact press@cipfa.org to find out more.
About CIPFA
CIPFA, the Chartered Institute of Public Finance and Accountancy, is the professional body for people in public finance and a registered charity. CIPFA shows the way in public finance globally, standing up for sound public financial management and good governance around the world as the leading commentator on managing and accounting for public money.
About the Health Foundation
The Health Foundation is an independent charity and think tank dedicated to improving health care for people in the UK. Founded in 1983, it aims for a healthier population supported by high-quality health care that can be equitably accessed. The foundation's programs include making grants to frontline workers, conducting research, and providing policy analysis. It is the second largest endowed foundation in the UK focusing on health, spending around £30 million a year on improving health and health care. The foundation is fully independent and accountable only to its independent board of trustees and the Charity Commission.