Local Authority Research Practitioners

Local Authority Research Practitioners (LARPs) work with their councils to make the most of research. They look at what research is already happening, figure out what needs to be done next, help different teams apply for money to fund research, and teach colleagues how to do quality research.

Local councils create and run services for their communities. They make choices based on what people need. Councils need good, reliable information to know what those needs are and to see if their services are working.

This information comes from research. But research is not always well understood.

The NHS is great at using research to improve healthcare. But studies show that healthcare itself only affects 20% of a person's overall health. Things like money, jobs, education, and the places where people live make up 50%. These are called the "wider determinants of health," and they influence health before people even need to visit the NHS.

Public Health Research focuses on stopping health problems before they start by making services better and keeping communities safe. LARPs play an important role in making this happen.

Role description

LARPs help councils improve their ability to do research and use it effectively. By doing this, they encourage a way of working where choices about public health policies and programs are regularly based on solid research and evidence.

LARPs do different things in different councils. Based on what the council needs and how much research it is already doing. Their tasks depend on where the council is in its research journey.

They are supported by the LARP network.

LARPs don't run research projects themselves. They help councils to do more research and use it to make better decisions.

LARP funding

The SCPH have awarded 76 local authorities with funding for a LARP role. This funding is covering 82 local authorities across England, including joint applications.

Since the Centre launched in October 2023, we have held four LARP funding calls. The fifth and final call will open very soon, more information to follow.

In round 4 (June 2025) Successful local authorities applied for up to £52,500 per award, for a period of 24 months (pro rata for reduced timeframe i.e. maximum available for 12 months is £26,250).  This award is a contribution (typically 50%) to the salary costs of a LARP and includes the employer's contribution to National Insurance and Superannuation. The local authority, or wider local system, then matches this funding and provides significant ‘in kind’ support.   

Local authorities

Barnsley Metropolitan Borough Council

Barking and Dagenham Council

Barnet Council

Bath and North East Somerset / Wiltshire / Swindon

Birmingham City Council

Bedford Borough Council

Blackburn and Darwen Borough Council

Bolton Borough Council

Bournemouth, Christchurch and Poole Council

Bracknell Forest Council

Brent Council

Brighton and Hove City Council

Bristol City Council

Buckinghamshire Council

Calderdale Borough Council

Cambridgeshire County Council

Camden Council

Central Bedfordshire Council

Cheshire East Council

City of York Council

Croydon Council

Darlington Borough Council

Devon County Council

Derbyshire County Council

Durham County Council

East Sussex County Council

Gloucestershire County Council

Greenwich Council

Hackney Council / City of London Council

Halton Borough Council

Hampshire County Council / Isle of Wight Council

Hartlepool Borough Council

Havering Council

Hertfordshire County Council

Kent County Council

Kirklees Borough Council

Knowsley Borough Council

Lancashire County Council

Leeds City Council

Leicester City Council

Lincolnshire County Council

Luton Borough Council

Milton Keynes Council

Northumberland County Council

Norfolk County Council

North Northamptonshire Council

North Somerset Council

Nottingham City Council

Nottinghamshire County Council

Oxfordshire County Council

Reading Borough Council / West Berkshire Council

Richmond / Wandsworth Council

Rotherham Metropolitan Borough Council

Sheffield City Council

Shropshire Council

Slough Borough Council

South Gloucestershire Council

South Tyneside Borough Council

Southend-on-Sea City Council

Southwark Council

Staffordshire County Council

Stockport Metropolitan Borough Council

Stoke on Trent City Council

Sunderland City Council

Torbay Council

Waltham Forest Council

Warrington Borough Council

Westminster Council

West Northamptonshire Council

West Sussex County Council

Westmorland and Furness Council

Wigan Metropolitan Borough Council

Windsor and Maidenhead Borough Council

Wirral Council

Worcestershire County Council

LARP Network

LARP Alumni

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