Published on 3 April 2026, the Prime Minister’s Easter message thanked churches and Christian charities for their service and, notably, invited faith groups to work with government on community renewal. The statement explicitly referenced two delivery vehicles: the Pride in Place programme and the Best Start Family Hubs initiative. (gov.uk)
Read as policy, the message aligns with the government’s community‑led model. Pride in Place requires each funded area to form a Neighbourhood Board that brings residents, businesses, workplace representatives and faith leaders together to set a 10‑year plan for local improvement. (gov.uk)
Scale and funding have recently been updated. On 5 February 2026, ministers expanded Pride in Place by 40 areas to a total of 284 communities across Great Britain. Each area can access up to £20 million over a decade, taking the overall envelope to as much as £5.8 billion. (gov.uk)
Timetable and governance matter for organisations seeking to engage. Phase 1 delivery funding starts from April 2026; Phase 2 Boards confirm final membership by 17 July 2026. Boards are community‑led and supported by the local authority and the constituency MP, with central oversight. During set‑up the local authority acts as the accountable body. (gov.uk)
Eligible activity under Pride in Place is broad and intentionally local: Boards can prioritise upgrades to pavements and high streets, investment in culture and green spaces, and other improvements residents want to see. Decisions on spend sit with the Board, within programme rules. (gov.uk)
The second strand named in the Easter message-Best Start Family Hubs and Healthy Babies-begins national roll‑out from April 2026 and applies to England. Guidance updated on 30 March 2026 sets a delivery window to March 2029 and describes hubs as one‑stop access points for universal health support, parenting help and early years services. (gov.uk)
Funding and scale are significant. The 2026–29 Best Start programme is backed by over £900 million from the Department for Education and the Department of Health and Social Care. Earlier, in July 2025, the government set an ambition for up to 1,000 hubs by the end of 2028, supported by more than £500 million. (assets.publishing.service.gov.uk)
The invitation to faith groups has clear policy routes. Best Start guidance asks local authorities to convene the voluntary, community and faith sectors alongside health, education and childcare partners when designing local offers. In Pride in Place, faith leaders are among those expected to sit on Neighbourhood Boards shaping investment. (assets.publishing.service.gov.uk)
For organisations considering participation, two immediate steps are practical. First, check whether your neighbourhood is included in Phase 1 or Phase 2 of Pride in Place; official pages list designated areas. Second, watch for local recruitment to Boards, as government requires evidence of broad community engagement before plans are approved. (gov.uk)
The government’s strategy context is explicit. The Pride in Place Strategy references a new Civil Society Covenant intended to reset how central government works with community organisations and embed participatory approaches in local decision‑making. That framing helps explain the cross‑faith invitation in the Prime Minister’s message. (gov.uk)
Scope varies by nation. Pride in Place covers communities across Great Britain, while Best Start Family Hubs applies to England only; family support in Scotland and Wales follows separate models. National charities with footprints across the UK will need to track devolved arrangements alongside these programmes. (gov.uk)
For families, delivery should become visible in two ways from April 2026: neighbourhood improvements as Boards begin programme activity, and easier access to early years help through hubs-covering infant feeding, perinatal mental health, parenting support and play. These are local services within a long‑term national framework. (gov.uk)