UK Health Forum

What UK Health Forum does

UK Health Forum (UKHF) was a London-based registered charity (Charity Number 803286), founded in 1984 and closed in 2019, focused on the primary prevention of chronic diseases through policy research and development. Its core capability was a world-leading microhealth simulation software model developed over 12 years, which modelled trends in risk factors and disease and quantified the impact of policy options and interventions on future chronic disease burden, NHS costs, and cost-effectiveness of interventions. Supporting tools included an Air Pollution Healthcare Cost Estimation Tool built with Imperial College in 2018, an Obesity and Smoking Trend Modelling Tool from the EU-funded EConDA project, a Healthy Places Online Resource for local public health teams, and a Fuel Poverty and Health Toolkit.

UKHF served two principal customer segments: UK and international governments, local authorities, and public health bodies seeking evidence-based policy guidance, and research funders commissioning modelling work (Cancer Research UK, European Commission, National Institute for Health Research, World Bank, EASL). As a non-profit, UKHF operated on grants and commissioned research rather than commercial revenue, and its distribution was through academic publications, policy reports, and direct engagement with government stakeholders. Its work directly influenced UK policy, including the school fruit and vegetable scheme and the sugar-sweetened beverage tax. The modelling unit was divested to HealthLumen in 2019, co-founded by former UKHF Director of Public Health Modelling Dr Laura Webber and Dr Simon Lande, with additional UKHF personnel joining the successor; UKHF's broader policy work continued through alliances it helped establish, including the Obesity Health Alliance, Alcohol Health Alliance, and UK Public Health Network.

Name

UK Health Forum

Legal name

UK Health Forum

Website

https://ukhealthforum.org.uk

Company type

Private

Operating status

Closed

Headcount range

1–10 employees

Short description

UK Health Forum was a London-based UK charity (1984-2019) that used a proprietary microhealth simulation model to produce evidence for government policy on chronic disease prevention, obesity, smoking, alcohol, and air pollution.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Public Health Policy Research

NAICS

Research and Development in the Social Sciences and Humanities (54172), Voluntary Health Organizations (813212)

SIC

Services-Health Services (8000), Services-Social Services (8300)

akta.pro primary industry

Public Health Strategy, Policy & Legislation (HLAJAMAA)

akta.pro secondary industries

Global Health Research, Evidence & Technical Assistance Organizations (HLAJAKAN), Health Systems Strengthening & Global Health Technical Assistance (BPADAEAH)

Keywords

• Chronic disease prevention
• Public health research
• Health policy modelling
• Microhealth simulation
• Health economics analysis

GTM type

B2B

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Operations, Technology or R&D, Marketing or Sales, Others

Distribution channels1 record

Marketing channels2 records

Core offering

UK Health Forum was a policy research charity that produced evidence-based research and modelling to support government action on the primary prevention of chronic diseases. Its core offering was a proprietary microhealth simulation software model, developed over 12 years, which modelled trends in risk factors and disease and quantified the impact of policy interventions. It also produced standalone tools (e.g. an air pollution healthcare cost estimation tool) and policy briefings for UK and international public health stakeholders.

Product overview

UK Health Forum operated as a policy research charity focused on the primary prevention of chronic diseases through modelling and evidence-based research. The organisation developed a world-leading microhealth simulation software model as its core technology offering, which was used to model trends in risk factors and disease, and quantify the impact of policy options and interventions. Supporting this core modelling capability, UKHF developed various specialised tools including an Air Pollution Healthcare Cost Estimation Tool for local authorities, an Obesity and Smoking Trend Modelling Tool for testing policy impacts, a Healthy Places Online Resource for local public health teams, and a Fuel Poverty and Health Toolkit. The organisation also published extensively in academic journals and produced policy research reports. The modelling unit was acquired by HealthLumen in 2019. UKHF is now closed.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• Microhealth Simulation Software Model A world-leading microhealth simulation software model developed over 12 years that revolutionised the ability to produce evidence to support policy change by modelling trends in risk factors and disease, and quantifying the impact of policy options and interventions. Used by UKHF to support government and international public health stakeholders on chronic disease prevention.
• Air Pollution Healthcare Cost Estimation Tool A tool developed in 2018 with Imperial College School of Public Health and Imperial College Business School that enables local authorities to estimate the current and future NHS and social care costs of nitrogen dioxide and fine particulate matter air pollution, supporting local action on air quality.
• Obesity and Smoking Trend Modelling Tool A downloadable tool created as part of the EConDA project that enables users to test the impact of changing trends in obesity or smoking, supporting public health policy analysis across EU member states.
• Healthy Places Online Resource An online resource, active from 2011 to 2018, providing free information, resources, and tools to local public health teams, planners, and others on using the local regulatory space to shape environments that support health.
• Fuel Poverty and Health Toolkit A toolkit guiding directors of public health, their teams, health and wellbeing boards, and local authority colleagues on starting, extending, or improving work on fuel poverty and its health impacts.

Quantifiable outcome

• 20% sugar tax could prevent 3.7 million people from becoming obese by 2025, equivalent to 5% shift in obesity prevalence, and save approximately £10 million in direct NHS costs in 2025 alone
• +2 more outcomes

Segments2 records

Ideal customer profiles3 records

Technology focussed Yes

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Feature1 record

Partnerships

Eleven partnerships are on record, tiered core and major.

• HealthLumencoreOthersThe UKHF modelling unit was acquired by HealthLumen, co-founded by Dr Laura Webber (former Director of Public Health Modelling at UKHF) and Dr Simon Lande. Additional personnel from UKHF joined the new organization, continuing the microhealth simulation modelling work.
• Imperial College School of Public HealthmajorStrategic or Co-development PartnerCollaborated in 2018 to develop a tool for local authorities to estimate the current and future NHS and social care costs of nitrogen dioxide and fine particulate matter (air pollution).
• Imperial College Business SchoolmajorStrategic or Co-development PartnerPartnered with Imperial College School of Public Health in 2018 to develop the air pollution healthcare costs estimation tool for local authorities.
• Cancer Research UKmajorStrategic or Co-development PartnerFunded multiple research projects including 2016 sugar tax modelling and 2017 tobacco-free UK study. UKHF produced evidence supporting sugar-sweetened beverage taxation and tobacco control policies.
• European CommissionmajorStrategic or Co-development PartnerFunded the EConDA project (Economics of Chronic Diseases) from 2013-2015, measuring long-term economic impact of different public health policies in 8 EU countries. Also funded HEPAHEALTH project through EASL.
• Obesity Health AlliancecoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerUKHF helped establish this major alliance focused on obesity prevention policy. UKHF's policy work continues through this organization.
• Alcohol Health AlliancecoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerUKHF helped establish this alliance. UKHF's policy work on alcohol continues through this organization.
• UK Public Health NetworkcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerUKHF helped establish this network. Policy work continues through this organization.
• World BankmajorStrategic or Co-development PartnerCommissioned UKHF to model the long-term health and cost impacts of reducing smoking prevalence through tobacco taxation in Ukraine (2018).
• EASL (European Association for the Study of the Liver)majorStrategic or Co-development PartnerCommissioned HEPAHEALTH project to describe burden of liver disease in 35 European countries and identify interventions.
• European Commission Health Equity Pilot Project (HEPP)majorStrategic or Co-development PartnerUKHF prepared case studies on interventions to address inequalities in poor nutrition, physical activity, and harmful alcohol consumption for this EC-funded project.

Scale indicators1 record

Recent moves8 records

Expansion highlights5 records

Broad incumbents

• Chatham House: International affairs think tank with a Centre on Global Health Security producing independent policy analysis on NCDs, tobacco control, and alcohol — adjacent policy research remit.
• NICE: UK body producing evidence-based guidance and cost-effectiveness modelling for public health interventions, including alcohol, smoking, and obesity — directly comparable function to UKHF on the intervention-cost-effectiveness axis.
• RAND Corporation: Global policy research organisation with a substantial health division producing cost-effectiveness modelling, disease burden projections, and public health policy evidence — comparable function to UKHF at larger scale.
• Nuffield Trust: UK health and social care policy research organisation that produces independent analysis on NHS performance, prevention, and population health, overlapping UKHF's evidence-for-policy mandate.
• The King's Fund: Independent UK health policy think tank that produces evidence-based analysis for government and the NHS on prevention, public health, and chronic disease — directly comparable policy research remit to UKHF.
• OECD Health Division: International organisation producing comparative health system analysis, NCD prevention modelling, and policy evidence for member states — overlapping with UKHF's chronic disease and EU policy work.

Others

• Cancer Research UK: Major funder and commissioning partner of UKHF's sugar tax and tobacco modelling work, and a large health charity that funds prevention-focused policy research — directly comparable funder/partner profile.

Emerging players

• London School of Hygiene & Tropical Medicine: Leading public health academic institution conducting disease modelling, health economics, and NCD policy research for the UK Government, WHO, and major NGOs — comparable research outputs and funder relationships to UKHF.
• Imperial College School of Public Health: Academic public health research unit that was a direct UKHF partner (2018 air pollution tool) and conducts comparable chronic disease modelling and policy evaluation for UK and international funders.

Direct peers

• HealthLumen: Direct successor to UKHF's modelling unit, co-founded by former UKHF Director of Public Health Modelling Dr Laura Webber. Operates the same microhealth simulation technology for chronic disease policy modelling globally.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat3 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights6 records

Customer concentration

• Xx.com/UK_HF
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/uk-health-forum

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

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M&A

Investments

M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

Frequently asked questions about UK Health Forum