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, 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

We have awarded 90 local authorities with funding for a LARP role, of which 88 have accepted. This offer of funding covers 95 local authorities across England, including joint applications/public health teams.

Since we launched in October 2023, we have held 5 LARP funding calls.

In round 5 (September 2025 - January 2026) 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

Barking and Dagenham Council

Barnet Council

Barnsley Metropolitan Borough Council

Bath and North East Somerset Council

Bedford Borough Council

Bexley Council

Birmingham City Council

Blackburn with Darwen Borough Council

Bolton Borough Council

Bournemouth, Christchurch and Poole Council

Bracknell Forest Borough Council

Brent Council

Brighton and Hove City Council

Bristol City Council

Buckinghamshire Council

Bury Metropolitan Borough Council

Calderdale Borough Council

Cambridgeshire County Council

Camden Council

Central Bedfordshire Council

Cheshire East Council

City of London Council

City of York Council

Croydon Council

Darlington Borough Council

Derby City Council

Derbyshire County Council

Devon County Council

Dudley Metropolitan Borough Council

Durham County Council

East Sussex County Council

Gloucestershire County Council

Greenwich Council

Hackney Council

Halton Borough Council

Hampshire County Council

Harrow Council

Hartlepool Borough Council

Havering Council

Herefordshire County Council

Hertfordshire County Council

Hull City Council

Isles of Scilly Council

Kent County Council

Kingston upon Thames Council

Kirklees Borough Council

Knowsley Borough Council

Lancashire County Council

Leeds City Council

Leicester City Council

Lincolnshire County Council

Luton Borough Council

Merton Council

Milton Keynes Council

Newham Council

Norfolk County Council

North Northamptonshire Council

North Somerset Council

Northumberland County Council

Nottingham City Council

Nottinghamshire County Council

Oxfordshire County Council

Reading Borough Council

Richmond upon Thames Council

Rotherham Metropolitan Borough Council

Salford City Council

Sheffield City Council

Slough Borough Council

South Gloucestershire Council

South Tyneside Borough Council

Southend on Sea Borough Council

Southwark Council

Staffordshire County Council

Stockport Borough Council

Stockton Borough Council

Stoke on Trent City Council

Sunderland City Council

Swindon Borough Council

Torbay Council

Waltham Forest Council

Wandsworth Council

Warrington Borough Council

West Berkshire Council

West Northamptonshire Council

West Sussex County Council

Westminster Council

Westmorland and Furness Council

Wigan Borough Council

Wiltshire Council

Windsor and Maidenhead Borough Council

Wirral Borough Council

Wokingham Borough Council

Worcestershire County Council

LARP Network

LARP Alumni

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