The press release issued by the Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government on 20 March 2026.
Forty more communities selected for Pride in Place, with local people choosing how £20 million is invested to strengthen their neighbourhood.
From saving youth centres and repairing playgrounds, to bringing empty buildings back into community use and expanding affordable after‑school activities – the Pride in Place programme has been designed to deliver improvements that matter to residents. And in many areas, neighbours are coming together to protect vital local services and create new spaces that bring people together.
The 40 new neighbourhoods named today join the 244 already taking part, bringing the total to 284 communities across the UK where local people are deciding how investment is used in their area.
As funding now flows to the first communities, work is getting under way across the country to turn plans into action and deliver change people can see in their streets, town centres and shared spaces. Further details will be set out shortly.
Communities Secretary Steve Reed said:
Across the country, people step outside their front door and feel like there is nothing for them: no sense of belonging, no investment in their area, no feeling that anyone is listening.
Pride in Place backs these people and puts the tools and the money directly in their hands to change that, because strong communities aren’t built for people, they’re built by them.
These new neighbourhoods are joining a movement that is bringing people closer together, and this government is backing them to do it.
Alongside this investment, the government continues to act on the issues that affect people’s quality of life and is taking robust action to protect families amid global uncertainty.
This includes £117 off energy bills and support for vulnerable households reliant on heating oil to warm their homes, on top of freezing rail fares and prescription charges, and rolling out free breakfast clubs.
Notes to editors
- The Pride in Place programme, including the Impact Fund, now supports 379 areas across the UK.
- A full breakdown of areas in receipt of Pride in Place funding can be found here: Pride in Place – GOV.UK
- The 40 areas have been chosen using an updated selection methodology. We will publish our full methodology shortly. The list of new areas set to benefit, is set out below
| Local authority | Number of neighbourhoods | Neighbourhood names |
|---|---|---|
| Bournemouth, Christchurch and Poole | 3 | West Howe, Boscombe West, Hamworthy West |
| Medway | 3 | Luton, Twydall, Rede Common |
| Barking and Dagenham | 2 | Mayesbrook Park & Rippleside, Central Park & Frizlands Lane |
| Brent | 2 | St Raphaels, Harlesden |
| Coventry | 2 | Tile Hill, Hillfields |
| Enfield | 2 | Lower Edmonton South, Enfield Wash |
| Ipswich | 2 | Stoke Park, Whitehouse |
| Luton | 2 | Central Luton, Marsh Farm |
| Newcastle upon Tyne | 2 | Fawdon South, Throckley & Newburn |
| Slough | 2 | Britwell, Langley Foxborough |
| Ashfield | 1 | Hucknall Westville |
| Bexley | 1 | Slade Green & Crayford Marshes |
| Birmingham | 1 | Handsworth West |
| Cannock Chase | 1 | Cannock North |
| Croydon | 1 | University Hospital & Queen’s Road |
| Derby | 1 | New Normanton |
| Exeter | 1 | Heavitree East & Whipton South |
| Gloucester | 1 | Matson & Robinswood |
| Greenwich | 1 | Thamesmead Birchmere Park |
| Manchester | 1 | Moss Side West |
| Newham | 1 | Little Ilford East |
| Rushmoor | 1 | Mayfield |
| Sandwell | 1 | Tividale |
| Stevenage | 1 | St Nicholas |
| Stoke-on-Trent | 1 | Bradeley & Chell Heath |
| Thurrock | 1 | Tilbury |
| Walsall | 1 | Brownhills |
| Wolverhampton | 1 | Waterloo Road |