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Obesity: Children

Asked by Kim JohnsonLabourDepartment of Health and Social CareTabled Answered 13 April 2026UIN 123728

The question

To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, what funding has been allocated to local authorities for programmes aimed at preventing childhood obesity.

Answered by Mrs Sharon Hodgson

Core funding for local authorities’ public health responsibilities is provided through the ring-fenced Public Health Grant which funds a range of preventative and treatment health services, including childhood obesity programmes. Local authorities are responsible for deciding how best to allocate their Public Health Grant to improve the health of their population and to fulfil their public health responsibilities.

For 2025/26, the Government increased the Public Health Grant by £224 million. The Government will continue to invest in local authorities' vital public health work, providing more than £13.4 billion over the next three years through a consolidated Public Health Grant, giving local authorities greater certainty to support long term prevention planning to make the best decisions to promote better population health, including on childhood obesity.

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