The Office for Health Improvement and Disparities (OHID) has disclosed the funding allocation it will distribute to local councils across England to support efforts to reduce gambling-related harms.
Booked on 2026–2027 accounts, OHID plans to distribute £12m in dedicated funding to upper-tier local councils in England. Councils have also been informed that OHID has reserved an additional £12m in funding which will be allocated for the 2027–2028 period.
Funding for local councils to reduce gambling harms is fully guaranteed by the New Statutory Levy on gambling licences. Since April 2025, OHID has taken its guardianship, overseeing the prevention and treatment of problem gambling across England.
The direct funding of councils via the statutory levy system underscores a shift to a centralised system led by the NHS, moving away from the previous voluntary framework under GambleAware.
In support of the new system, local councils must complete two mandatory requirements to secure the allocated funds.
As detailed by OHID: “The conditions are to complete a maturity assessment survey (which provides a baseline assessment of their activity on gambling harms prevention, helping them monitor progress over time and identify and share innovative practice).
“Complete a declaration of interest, including formal confirmation from the Director of Public Health that governance, decision-making and the use of levy funds are fully independent of gambling industry influence.”
Allocation of funds
Funding will be distributed by OHID via a Memorandum of Understanding (MOU), under which councils must ensure that funds are used solely for prevention activity.
OHID explained that the distribution methodology has been designed on a 50/50 split between population size and the other half adjusted using the area’s average Index of Multiple Deprivation (IMD) score.
The formula is weighted by each council’s deprivation level, with OHID aiming to provide less developed areas with more funding per person to reflect higher risks of harm. OHID will monitor and review the model, which is being launched as an initial proxy to gather further community-led insight on gambling disorders.
Applying the population and deprivation formula, the highest funding allocations for 2026–2027 will be provided to: Birmingham (£332,000), Kent – £326,000), Essex (£289,000), Lancashire £275,000 and Hampshire (£235,000).
In the North West, funding is concentrated in large metro/urban councils led by Lancashire (£275,000), Manchester (£167,000) and Liverpool (£140,000) – allocations matching current dynamics of large population density and with mixed deprivation scores.
In the North East, allocations are more evenly spread across councils, with County Durham (£127,000) the standout. Newcastle and Sunderland are to be allocated circa £70,000 each.
While total funding is lower than the North West, high deprivation levels across the region boost per-capita weighting.
London councils sit largely in the range of between £50,000 and £90,000, in what the methodology depicts as diverse balance, high population density and mixed with uneven deprivation levels.
Larger boroughs such as Brent (£85,000), Ealing (£86,000) and Croydon (£85,000) will receive higher allocations, while more affluent areas like Kensington & Chelsea (£28,000) and Richmond (£28,000) sit at the lower end.
A new chapter for the statutory levy
The update also sees OHID complete its first duties as guardian of the Statutory Levy, revealing this week its initial list of third-sector recipients of £25m to provide specialised treatment for gambling harms.
The long-awaited list confirmed Young Gamers and Gamblers Education Trust (YGAM) and GamCare as the two largest recipients of funding. Other initial levy recipients include Addiction Recovery Agency (£1.026m), Betknowmore (£2.99m), Citizens Advice Wokingham (£1.27m), Council for Voluntary Service Medway (£1.3m) and Gambling Harm UK (£1.25m).
Political conflicts continue to impact UK gambling
While we’re only four months into 2026, the UK political space has already witnessed a coalition of more than 40 local authorities urge the UK government to intervene and grant greater powers over gambling premises to local councils, with further calls to overhaul of local licensing controls.
The campaign to “Take Back Control of Our High Streets” is led by Muhammed Butt of Brent Council and Manchester Mayor Andy Burnham, a group of gambling reformists who want councils to gain stronger authority over licensing and tighter rules on advertising.
Among the key proposals is the introduction of a single planning use class for gambling premises, aimed at giving councils greater control over high-street developments.
The coalition has also called for cumulative impact assessments, allowing local authorities to factor in area density and socio-economic conditions when determining new licence applications.
However, despite mounting pressure, the government stated in late 2025 that it has “no plans to review” the ‘aim to permit’ principle of the Gambling Act 2005.
DCMS maintains that its regulatory focus remains on the rollout of the statutory levy and the establishment of public health systems to support vulnerable individuals and improve access to services.
