Key findings from the evaluation of the Life Chances Fund: Ministerial foreword
Published 5 March 2026
© Crown copyright 2026
This publication is licensed under the terms of the Open Government Licence v3.0 except where otherwise stated. To view this licence, visit nationalarchives.gov.uk/doc/open-government-licence/version/3 or write to the Information Policy Team, The National Archives, Kew, London TW9 4DU, or email: psi@nationalarchives.gov.uk.
Where we have identified any third party copyright information you will need to obtain permission from the copyright holders concerned.
This publication is available at https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/transforming-public-services-key-findings-from-the-evaluation-of-the-life-chances-fund/key-findings-from-the-evaluation-of-the-life-chances-fund-ministerial-foreword
Message from Stephanie Peacock MP, Minister for Sport, Tourism, Civil Society and Youth
As Minister for Civil Society, I am proud to champion one of the UK’s most vital and dynamic sectors - the beating heart of our communities. Civil Society plays a central role in shaping who we are as a nation, uniting people through shared values, collective action, and a deep-rooted commitment to the common good.
This government was elected to deliver change. To improve the lives of working people and strengthen our country. We know that we can only tackle the most difficult social issues through stronger partnerships between government and civil society. Our local civil society organisations know what works and what doesn’t. We need locally led partnerships, focused on shared goals, to drive better outcomes in places and towns across the UK.
The Life Chances Fund (LCF) offers powerful learning for this type of collaboration. Delivered between 2016 and 2025, the £70 million fund supported innovative, locally-led approaches to deep-rooted social issues. It helped local projects find place-based solutions and forged strong partnerships rooted in lived experience and local knowledge - partnerships that were built to deliver long-term, meaningful impact.
Crucially, the LCF championed outcome-based partnerships, where socially-minded investors shared both the risk and responsibility for achieving results. This pioneering approach meant that commissioners only paid for measurable outcomes - not just activity - ensuring public money created real, tangible value where it was needed most.
In total, the LCF supported 29 ambitious projects across England, engaging with more than 50,000 people in critical areas such as youth unemployment, mental health, and homelessness. Through a close partnership with the Government Outcomes Lab at the University of Oxford, we have also generated invaluable evaluation insights - providing tools and evidence that continue to empower local commissioners, improve outcomes, and raise living standards.
The LCF has shown that Social Outcome Partnerships deliver results. We are committed to expanding Social Outcome Partnerships as a commissioning tool to deliver against our Plan for Change. In July, we unveiled the Better Futures Fund (BFF) - a landmark £500 million investment aimed at breaking down barriers and opening up opportunities for up to 200,000 children and their families over the next decade. Built on the lessons of the LCF, the BFF represents a whole-society approach. It will harness the collective power of government, communities, charities, social enterprises, investors, and philanthropists - all working collectively to build a fairer, more compassionate future for the next generation.
In total, the LCF supported 29 ambitious projects across England, engaging with more than 50,000 people in critical areas such as youth unemployment, mental health, and homelessness.