IMPACT to run 22 projects across the UK in 2026-27

IMPACT (Improving Adult Care Together), the UK centre for implementing evidence in adult social care, has today announced that it will be running a record ten Demonstrators, eight Facilitator projects and six Networks across the UK in 2026-27. Projects were chosen from a national longlist, following an open call for applications at the end of 2025, and will launch this September.

Our Demonstrators and Facilitators involve staff employed or seconded to work in the host organisation, using evidence to support practical changes in the realities of local services and of people’s lives. Our Networks involve a number of groups across the UK, using evidence to support practical changes locally, and sharing learning with each other.

Projects for 2026-2027

Our Demonstrators will be:

  • Building a more strategic approach to co-production – Cartrefi Cymru Co-operative, Bangor and Swansea, Wales
  • Developing processes and systems that feel human, respectful and meaningful to enable and enhance collaborative communication – Swansea Council Adult Services, Wales
  • Developing more strategic partnerships between adult social care and housing – In Control, Scotland
  • Enhancing voice, choice, and control through a relationship-based practice model for Self-directed Support in Scotland – Social Work Scotland
  • Recognising and supporting the role of personal assistants – Centre for Independent Living NI, Belfast, Northern Ireland
  • Promoting a culture which genuinely values its social care workforce – Southern Health and Social Care Trust, Armagh, Northern Ireland
  • Supporting race equality in the social care workforce – Persona, Bury, England
  • Promoting a culture where we genuinely value our workforce – Shrewsbury/Shropshire Council, England
  • Working collaboratively to transform how social care is experienced by those who are most marginalised, using proactive social care models – Support Northamptonshire, Wellingborough, England
  • Social care and climate change – Inspired Purpose, England and/or Wales

Our Facilitators will be:

  • Direct Payment implementation in Wales – Welsh Government
  • Supporting older carers and their families in Powys – Credu, Wales
  • Improving the support of people with substance dependence in care homes – Aberdeen Health and Social Care Partnership, Scotland
  • Improving communication and accessibility of information – Informing Choice NI, Derry, Northern Ireland
  • Early practical intervention to support carers and the person they care for – Mid & East Antrim Agewell Partnership, Ballymena, Northern Ireland
  • Enhancing access to annual health checks for people with profound and multiple learning disabilities – Dimensions, Frome or Sheffield or Worcester, England
  • Building a more strategic approach to co-production alongside people who have a learning disability – People’s Voices, WECIL, Bristol, England
  • Support for people whose savings/assets are reducing in a care home (‘capital depletion’) – Stafford, Staffordshire County Council, England

We have a number of Network members already confirmed, but we will be seeking further members over the course of the year. We will share more information on this soon.

Professor Jon Glasby, Director of IMPACT:

“In a difficult context, we’ve been inundated once again with so many colleagues from across the four nations, all with brilliant ideas and a passion to use evidence to make a difference. With a 40% increase in applications since last year, we’ve had a really difficult series of decisions to make, striking a balance between different policy and practice priorities, different locations and different types of partner organisation, within social care and beyond. The final list of projects is just the tip of a much bigger iceberg, and we’ve been inspired once again by people’s innovation and commitment.

“By the end of our initial grant in December 2027, we’ll have provided practical, hands-on support in nearly 200 host and partner organisations across the UK – the equivalent to nearly one project for every Council/Trust in the UK.”

Welsh Government Minister for Children and Social Care, Dawn Bowden:

“It’s great news that Welsh Government has been selected for this facilitator-led project with IMPACT. It will be important in helping us understand what works well with direct payments, and in particular delegated healthcare tasks, and how we can do even better.

“Crucially, we’ll be working alongside people who have experience of direct payments, carers and professionals in the sector to develop practical resources that support the rollout of the Health and Social Care (Wales) Act 2025.”

IMPACT will be recruiting people to work as IMPACT Facilitators and as Senior Strategic Improvement Coaches across the UK. These are 50% roles for 12 months and are designed to work really well for people from policy, practice, applied research and/or with lived experience who want to broaden their skills and CVs by gaining experience of leading evidence-informed change in the realities of front-line services.

Sign up to our newsletter to be among the first to hear when recruitment goes live in Spring.

Background

IMPACT is a £15 million UK centre for implementing evidence in adult social care. It is funded by the Economic and Social Research Council (ESRC) and the Health Foundation. IMPACT’s Leadership Team is made up of 14 individuals, led by Professor Jon Glasby at the University of Birmingham. This team includes academics, people who draw on care and support, carers organisations, workforce bodies and a series of other policy and practice partners from across the UK.

IMPACT believes that ‘good support isn’t just about ‘services’ – it’s about having a life.’ In pursuit of this vision, IMPACT’s four aims are to:

  • Increase the use of high-quality evidence, leading to better care practices, systems and outcomes
  • Build capacity and skills in the adult social care workforce to work with evidence of different kinds to innovate and deliver better outcomes
  • Develop relationships between a wide range of stakeholders across the sector, to improve outcomes for people who draw on services and their families
  • Improve understanding of what elements of evidence implementation do and do not work in practice, and using this to overcome barriers

In 2023, IMPACT entered a five-year ‘delivery’ phase (2023-27) and launched 15 projects – an increase from the six initial projects from our pilot year. Each year, we have seen this number grow. 2026-27 will be IMPACT’s biggest year yet for delivery.