Local Outcomes Framework published
Source: Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government (MHCLG), 9 February 2026
Alongside the 2026 to 2027 – 2028 to 2029 Local Government Finance Settlement, MHCLG has published the Local Outcomes Framework, setting out top priority outcomes, delivered at the local level and driven by councils as leaders of place with their partners.
In July 2025, MHCLG announced a draft Local Government Outcomes Framework and sought feedback. The final Framework reflects the feedback from local government colleagues, and includes renaming it the Local Outcomes Framework, in recognition of the contribution made by other local partners to the delivery of outcomes in an area.
The Framework will be operational for the Spending Review period. Over the next few months, MHCLG will be engaging with councils as they design an interactive digital tool, due to go live later in 2026.
The publication of the Local Outcomes Framework (LOF) represents a major shift in how national and local government work together to improve the health and wellbeing of communities across England. The framework establishes a new, shared outcomes‑based approach that places public health at the centre of local government leadership, empowering councils to address the wider determinants of health with greater flexibility, transparency and strategic focus.
A Unified, Outcomes‑Driven Vision for Improving Lives
The LOF sets out the outcomes that central and local government collectively aim to achieve, moving away from narrow activity-based reporting and toward measuring the real‑world results that matter most to people and places. This includes outcomes directly linked to public health, such as enabling people to live healthier lives for longer, reducing health inequalities, improving child health and development, and strengthening adult social care quality and independence.
By aligning public services behind shared goals, the LOF creates a stronger, more coherent national approach to improving population health – one that recognises that health is shaped not only by clinical services, but by housing, environment, community safety, transport, education and economic opportunity.
Embedding Public Health at the Heart of Local Leadership
Public health priorities are woven throughout the LOF’s priority outcomes. These include:
- Health and wellbeing: Supporting healthier lives and reducing inequalities.
- Best start in life: Strengthening early child health, family support and early years development.
- Adult social care quality and independence: Ensuring people receive high-quality, person-centred care and are supported to remain independent.
- Neighbourhood wellbeing, safety and inclusion: Creating health‑enabling environments.
- Environment and climate resilience: Improving natural and built environments that underpin long-term health.
This comprehensive framework reinforces the critical role of local authorities as system leaders for population health, shaping not only services but the conditions that allow communities to thrive.
Greater Transparency to Drive Improvement and Reduce Inequalities
A key feature of the LOF is its commitment to publishing outcomes data for all priority areas in one place. This ensures that central and local government are “measuring progress through the same lens” and enables residents, professionals and policymakers to understand how well their area is performing.
For public health, this common platform allows:
- Clearer visibility of health inequalities between and within local areas.
- Stronger evidence for targeted interventions.
- More consistent oversight across systems.
Local authorities have highlighted the importance of ensuring that data reflects the diverse needs of different communities and avoids masking within-area variation – particularly between urban and rural populations.
Empowering Prevention and Integrated, Place-Based Working
The LOF is central to a wider agenda to simplify funding, reduce bureaucratic burdens and enable councils to focus resources where they can deliver the greatest impact. Central government is shifting from micromanaging local activities to supporting councils to deliver on shared outcomes, beginning with constructive dialogue and joint problem-solving where performance is challenged.
For public health, this marks a decisive move toward:
- Stronger prevention and early intervention, addressing issues upstream rather than reacting only to crisis.
- Integrated delivery across health, social care, housing and community services, reflecting the reality that councils “rarely hold all the levers” to drive change alone.
- Longer-term stability, supported by multi‑year settlements and simplified funding routes that allow councils to plan confidently for population health improvement.
A Significant Step Forward for Health, Equity and Local Empowerment
The publication of the Local Outcomes Framework represents a turning point for public health in England. It:
- Establishes a clear, shared vision for improving health and reducing inequalities across all local areas.
- Recognises public health as a core responsibility of local government and embeds it within wider place‑based outcomes.
- Provides the transparency, flexibility and partnership working needed to strengthen prevention and deliver meaningful improvements in people’s lives.
- Supports local leaders to reduce barriers, tailor interventions to local needs and shape healthier, more resilient communities.
As England faces continued pressures on health and social care systems, rising need and persistent inequalities, the LOF provides a powerful and practical tool to drive better outcomes for residents—supporting a healthier, fairer future for all.
For further information, please refer to the Local Outcomes Framework publication on GOV.UK.