Explore how the Community Needs Index has been used, what the next phase of development could mean for understanding communities across the UK, and how you can access the data.
Search
blog Apr 2026
Community spirit
Why the lessons from Big Local are vital for designing fairer funding programmes
As the Big Local programme ends, its lessons are shaping the future of other funding programmes. From building trust over time to tackling participation barriers and managing conflict, this blog explores what worked, what didn’t, and how funders can design fairer, more effective programmes that put communities in control.
blog Apr 2026
Community spirit
What is the recipe for big, local change?
What does it take to change a neighbourhood for the better? After 15 years and 150 communities, we find that it requires getting three things right: the people, the place, and the process. Our Deputy CEO Jon Fox unpacks the recipe behind Big Local, and what made it truly transformational.
blog Apr 2026
Local economies
How to make the local economy work for communities
National economic growth doesn’t always reach the neighbourhoods that need it most. Senior quantitative researcher Jack Loughnane explores how Big Local communities took matters into their own hands — building local enterprises, reviving vacant spaces, and making the economy work for the people who live there.
Page
Pride in Place Event Series: Glasgow
This event is your opportunity to find out more about the Pride in Place programme from MHCLG, connect with…
blog Apr 2026
Community spirit
Culture and creativity
How Big Local built a legacy of place-based pride
As the Big Local programme draws to a close, the legacy of place-based pride it has built across 150 communities will continue. Whether through annual street festivals, murals celebrating local heritage, or young people co-producing films about their lived experiences, residents have shown time and again that pride in place grows when communities are trusted to lead.
blog Apr 2026
Community spirit
“The community feels prouder to live in Sale West”
After the birth of her daughter, Clare Standish was searching for flexible work which led her to Our Sale West Big Local. She reflects on a decade of change in Sale West, from a neglected park and empty youth centre to a thriving community hub recognised across Greater Manchester as a model of good practice.
research Health and wellbeing
Neighbourhood health and local government
This report summarises insights from the policy sprint which explores how neighbourhood health can reshape public services by shifting power to communities.
News Mar 2026
Community spirit
The legacy continues – over 120 local community organisations will carry forward the impact of the Big Local programme
Communities across England will continue to benefit from the Big Local programme for years to come, as more than…