The Health Work and Well-being Challenge Fund

The Health Work and Well-being Challenge Fund is a grant scheme of £4million available over two years from the Department for Work and Pensions. It is a competitive scheme to fund innovative projects that improve employees’ health and welfare at work and is aimed at local partnerships and small and medium sized businesses based, and trading in Great Britain.

If you have identified a problem that is affecting the health and welfare of your employees and have a proposal to improve this problem you can apply for funding to implement it. The proposal must be for a new project as we will not fund existing projects.

Small and medium sized businesses based, and trading, in Great Britain and local partnerships can apply. Businesses must have been established for at least two years.

Innovative proposals are being sought that will improve occupational health and welfare at work. Projects to improve mental well-being in small businesses will be a priority.

This is a competitive scheme so not all applications will receive funding.

Application Process

Please note that the Department for Work and Pensions will not refund any costs you might incur with your application whether your bid is successful or not.

The Health Work and Well-being Challenge Fund will be available until 31 March 2011 and there will be two rounds of funding. You can apply between now and 31 December 2009 for an award in April 2010 to March 2011 and between September 2010 and December 2010 for an award in April 2011 to March 2012.

 

Frequently Asked Questions:

What is the Health Work and Well-being Challenge Fund?

A competitive grant scheme designed to improve employees’ health and welfare at work. Not all applications will receive funding.

Who can apply?

Small and medium sized businesses with between 1 and 249 employees, and local partnerships can apply. Businesses and organisations must be based in Great Britain.Businesses must be trading in Great Britain and must have been established for at least two years.

 

What is the Challenge Fund for?

Initiatives that improve occupational health and welfare at work. We are looking for innovative projects. There are restrictions on big capital costs, like buildings and large pieces of machinery, and on employing temporary staff.

How much money can a business or local partnership apply for?

You can apply for a grant of between £1,000 and £50,000 in each year. You cannot receive more than one award in the same year.

Will I get all the money all at once?

The money will usually be paid in advance in quarterly instalments. Grants of £5,000 and under will be paid in advance in full.

 

Who will make decisions on which projects receive funding?

Local Assessment Panels will consider all full application forms received by 31 December 2009.

 

Will I get money for the whole period of my project?

We are matching the funding to financial years. That means that a project with a start date in April 2010 and an end date in March 2011 can receive funding for April 2010 to March 2011.A project with a start date in September 2010 and an end date in March 2011 can receivefunding between September 2010 and March 2011 from the first round bidding process.

Can I apply for funding for two years in 2009?

If you are granted a Challenge Fund award to undertake a project during the first round you can apply for continuing support during the second round. You should tell us on the application form that you would like to do this. But any award in the second year would depend on successful performance in the first year.

I already run a project to improve the health and welfare at work of my employees – will you give me money to continue that?

The Challenge Fund is for new initiatives, not ongoing projects.

What is a small business?

Businesses can apply if they have between 1 and 249 employees. Businesses must be based,and trading, in Great Britain.

 

For more information on how your business can benefit, contact Joanne Ingham.

 

Email joanne@life-booster.co.uk

Telephone 0787 3230965