NHS England

NHS England, established in 2013 as an executive non-departmental public body of the Department of Health and Social Care, oversees the budget, planning, delivery, and operations of NHS commissioning in England under the Health and Social Care Act 2012. Its mission is to lead the NHS in providing high-quality, safe, effective, and efficient healthcare for every patient, prioritizing patient outcomes, workforce wellbeing, system sustainability, and reducing health inequalities. Guided by values of fairness, transparency, accountability, and continuous improvement, it drives innovation through the NHS Long Term Plan, emphasizing community-based care, digital transformation, prevention, and shifting from hospital to community settings. It supports diverse health causes like cancer, mental health, primary/urgent care, workforce development, digital health, public health, and system transformation via service delivery, training, research, and partnerships with NHS trusts, integrated care systems (ICBs), local authorities, charities, and third-sector organizations.

Funding targets interventions improving access, productivity, and value, especially for underserved communities across all ages facing barriers or inequalities, through project, core, capital, revenue, and capacity-building grants.

Eligible applicants are primarily UK-registered charities and similar entities with capacity for large-scale impact, operating exclusively in England; no income thresholds apply, but alignment with national/local priorities is essential. NHS England does not accept unsolicited applications—opportunities arise via targeted calls, tenders, invitations, or programmes like the Better Care Fund, often starting with expressions of interest followed by full proposals, business cases, and portals. Deadlines vary (e.g., Better Care Fund 2025-26 plans by June 2023); grants range from tens of thousands to millions of pounds.

Distinctively, as a national system leader, it commissions rather than open-funds, favoring scalable, evidence-based collaborations over standalone projects, with no religious restrictions, setting it apart for charities aligning to NHS strategic goals.