Everything You Need To Know About The Pride In Place Strategy

In this blog, you will learn:

• What the Pride in Place Strategy is and why it was created. 
• How the Pride in Place Strategy works and the kind of projects it funds. 
• Where the latest Change and Transformation jobs are and how to apply for them. 

For years, neighbourhoods across the UK have felt underfunded and overlooked. Public spaces appear to be declining, high streets are struggling and local services are disappearing due to a lack of government funding. Vital amenities that once held communities together are now fewer and further between.  

In response, a focus on how to revitalise these areas and ensure local residents have a say in how their towns can be regenerated, is in full swing. Now under a Labour government, efforts appear to be moving away from top-down decision-making towards a more community led approach.

Launched in September 2025, the Pride in Place Strategy initiative is designed to give struggling areas funding and more control over how this funding is distributed. However, with the strategy less than a year since launch, questions still remain.

In this blog, we’re uncovering exactly what the Pride in Place Strategy entails, how it works and what it could mean for communities across the UK.

What is the Pride in Place Strategy? 

The Pride in Place Strategy is a 10 year plan launched by the UK Labour Government to strengthen communities and improve local neighbourhoods. As part of the strategy, £5 billion will be invested to support as many as 250 deprived and struggling areas.  

The UK Government says the aim is to ‘build stronger communities, create thriving places and empower local people to take back control.’ It focuses on things such as safer and better high streets, improved parks, and shared community spaces to restore pride in where people live.

The strategy is there to help neighbourhoods, businesses, community groups and local residents to join forces and agree on the enhancements their town will benefit from, such as improving local services and revitalising town centres. 

Why was the Pride in Place Strategy introduced?

The Pride in Place Strategy was introduced to address long-standing inequalities across communities in the UK, particularly in areas that have experienced economic decline and years of underinvestment. Many towns and neighborhoods have seen high streets struggle, public spaces fall into disrepair and fewer local opportunities. Over time, this has affected not just local economies, but also how people feel about where they live.

According to the UK Government, ‘Many neighbourhoods and communities feel they have been left behind and let down by years of decline, systemic under investment, the legacies of deindustrialisation and the failure of leveling up’. As these feelings have grown, community spirit and pride in local areas appear to have declined. 

The Pride in Place Strategy was therefore designed to address these issues, aiming to rebuild pride, strengthen communities and improve quality of life in the areas that need it most.

The belief that local residents know their neighborhoods best is another core reason for the inception of the strategy. Instead of decisions being made centrally, the Pride in Place strategy shifts power towards communities by giving them more control over how funding is spent in their area. 

This power shift helps to create places where people feel safer, more connected and more invested in their area, while also supporting local regeneration and economic growth. 

The UK Government said ‘This strategy goes further than anything we have done before, giving communities the resources and tools to drive change themselves and shape their neighbourhoods for the better. That means delivering funding directly to the neighbourhoods that need it most.’

How does the Pride in Place Strategy work? 

The UK Government selects eligible areas based on factors such as deprivation, economic decline and the need for regeneration. It then directs funding to places that have faced years of underinvestment.

Once an area is chosen, a local Neighborhood Board will be formed with representatives from businesses, local councils, community groups and residents. The board will work together to identify local priorities, consult with the community and develop a long-term plan to improve the area.

The Neighbourhood Boards also decide on how funding will be allocated across projects such as refurbishing public spaces, supporting community spaces and improving high streets. The local council will usually work alongside the board to help deliver and manage the funding. 

What kind of projects are funded?

The Pride in Place Strategy funds a wide range of projects that aim to improve communities and public spaces. One key project the strategy funds is improving high streets and town centres. This includes upgrading street lighting, renovating shop fronts and making public spaces feel and look more welcoming. 

The Pride in Place Strategy also supports the renewal of parks and public spaces by keeping outdoor areas cleaner, improving green spaces and upgrading playgrounds and parks. As well as this, funding is provided for community spaces such as libraries, youth centres and village halls, helping to strengthen local services and bring the community together. 

In essence, the Pride in Place Strategy will invest in projects that strengthen local communities and improve the quality of public spaces.

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