Action For Pulmonary Fibrosis

What Action For Pulmonary Fibrosis does

Action for Pulmonary Fibrosis (APF) is a UK registered charity founded in 2013 that serves the estimated 150,000 people in the UK living with pulmonary fibrosis, along with their carers, families, and the healthcare professionals who treat them. The organisation operates as the only UK national charity specifically dedicated to pulmonary fibrosis, and was established by trustees who were personally affected by the condition alongside clinicians. Its dual registration with the Charity Commission for England and Wales (1152399) and OSCR Scotland (SCO50992), and its membership of the Association of Medical Research Charities (AMRC), provide regulator-endorsed status.

APF delivers a broad portfolio of free information and support services rather than a technology product. Core services include a telephone support line staffed by trained advisors, a growing UK-wide network of local support groups, a specialist ILD centre finder, downloadable information resources, and a 'Navigating PF' booklet. Educational content is delivered through the 'Talking PF' webinar series, the 'Breath of Hope: Pulmonary Fibrosis Stories' podcast hosted on Podbean, and the quarterly APF Insider Magazine in print and digital formats. The charity also conducts annual State of the Nation reports — the 2026 edition is backed by a survey of more than 1,200 people — and funds research into PF. Marketing and community reach are achieved through an active presence on Facebook, X, Instagram, YouTube, LinkedIn and TikTok, plus annual September Awareness Month campaigns and PR activity.

The underlying technology stack is conventional rather than proprietary: a website, Blackbaud charity database management system, email newsletter platform, webinar hosting, podcast distribution, an online merchandise shop, and Meta Pixel for targeted advertising. APF generates no fee-based revenue; all services are free to beneficiaries. Income is derived from individual donations, community fundraising, grants, merchandise sales via an online shop, and a weekly lottery programme. The charity's strategic posture emphasises direct beneficiary support, evidence-based policy advocacy, and research funding, with no commercial product line, no fee-for-service model, and no AI or machine learning capabilities disclosed.

Name

Action For Pulmonary Fibrosis

Legal name

Action for Pulmonary Fibrosis

Website

https://actionpf.org

Company type

Private

Founded year

2013

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

11–50 employees

Short description

Action for Pulmonary Fibrosis (APF) is a UK charity founded in 2013 that provides free support, information, education and research funding for the estimated 150,000 people living with pulmonary fibrosis in the UK, along with their carers and treating clinicians.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Patient Support Charity Services

NAICS

Other Individual and Family Services (62419)

SIC

Services-Health Services (8000)

akta.pro primary industry

Palliative Care, Hospice & Serious Illness Support (BPAGACAK)

Keywords

• Pulmonary fibrosis support
• Patient charity services
• Respiratory health information
• Peer support groups
• Medical research charity

Headquarters

HQ city

Peterborough

HQ country

United Kingdom

HQ region

Europe

Markets served

GTM type

B2C

Offering type

Services

Cost components

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

Distribution channels6 records

Marketing channels8 records

Core offering

Action for Pulmonary Fibrosis is a UK charity that provides free information, emotional support, and education to people affected by pulmonary fibrosis (PF) and their families. Its core offerings are a telephone support line, a UK-wide network of support groups, a quarterly information magazine, educational webinars, a podcast series, and comprehensive online information resources covering diagnosis, treatments, oxygen therapy, and symptom management. The charity also funds research and conducts policy advocacy to improve PF care standards nationwide.

Product overview

Action for Pulmonary Fibrosis operates as a national UK charity providing a comprehensive suite of support and information services for people affected by pulmonary fibrosis. The organization offers direct support through its telephone support line and growing network of support groups, educational resources including the APF Insider Magazine (published quarterly in print and digital formats), educational webinars, and the Breath of Hope podcast series. The charity provides extensive health information resources covering treatments, oxygen therapy, breathlessness management, cough management, and travel guidance. Its research initiatives include the annual State of the Nation Report surveying over 1,200 people living with PF. Fundraising activities are supported through an online shop, weekly lottery, and community fundraising programs. The organization also maintains a specialist ILD health centre finder and a dedicated coronavirus hub for vulnerable patients.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• PF Support Line A dedicated telephone support line providing information and emotional support for people affected by pulmonary fibrosis, staffed by trained APF team members. Available by phone with a callback option; free to beneficiaries.
• UK Support Group Network A growing network of local support groups across the UK that connect people living with pulmonary fibrosis, their families, and caregivers for peer-to-peer support and shared experiences. Groups are facilitated by APF and findable via an online directory.
• APF Insider Magazine A free quarterly magazine available in digital or print format containing information about pulmonary fibrosis, support resources, research news, personal stories, and updates from the APF community. Free subscription for supporters.
• Talking PF Webinars Regular online educational sessions featuring expert APF team members and people affected by pulmonary fibrosis, covering topics such as breathlessness management, adapting to living with oxygen, and emotional wellbeing.
• Breath of Hope Podcast A podcast series featuring pulmonary fibrosis stories from APF team experts and people affected by the condition, with new episodes released every few weeks and hosted on Podbean.
• PF Information Resources Comprehensive online educational materials covering pulmonary fibrosis topics including newly diagnosed guidance, living with PF, treatments, oxygen therapy, breathlessness management, cough management, benefits, and travel advice, including downloadable booklets such as 'Navigating PF'.
• State of the Nation Report An annual comprehensive survey report on the experiences of people living with pulmonary fibrosis in the UK, highlighting inequalities in diagnosis, treatment, and support.
• Specialist ILD Centre Finder An online directory helping patients and families find specialist interstitial lung disease (ILD) health centres and hospitals across the UK.
• APF Online Shop An e-commerce storefront selling APF merchandise including branded items to raise awareness and funds for the charity.
• APF Weekly Lottery A weekly charity lottery allowing supporters to participate for prize draws while raising funds for pulmonary fibrosis research and support services, managed with a third-party lottery administrator.

Quantifiable outcome

• The State of the Nation 2026 report was backed by a survey of more than 1,200 people, making it the most comprehensive survey of people living with PF ever undertaken in the UK.
• +2 more outcomes

Segments4 records

Ideal customer profiles5 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights6 records

Broad incumbents

• Macmillan Cancer Support: A major UK charity providing information, support lines, and practical services to people affected by a serious illness. Comparable to APF in its support-line-and-information-service model and free-to-beneficiary approach.
• Parkinson's UK: A UK charity supporting people with a chronic, progressive condition. Highly comparable to APF in operating model — telephone support line, local support groups, research funding, specialist information, and policy advocacy.
• Cancer Research UK: The UK's largest research-focused health charity. Comparable to APF as an AMRC-member charity that funds research, runs awareness campaigns, and influences health policy, but at vastly larger scale and broader disease focus.
• Hospice UK: The national charity for hospice and end-of-life care in the UK. Comparable to APF for its focus on serious-illness support, palliative care pathways, and policy advocacy for improved care standards.
• British Lung Foundation (legacy entity under Asthma + Lung UK): Pre-merger entity representative of the broader UK lung-disease charity landscape. Comparable to APF as a national voice on lung conditions, with much larger scope and resources.

Direct peers

• Asthma + Lung UK: The UK's largest dedicated respiratory charity, formed through the merger of Asthma UK and the British Lung Foundation. Directly comparable to APF as a UK national charity supporting people with lung conditions, funding research, and running telephone helplines and support services.
• LAM Action: A UK charity supporting people with lymphangioleiomyomatosis (LAM), a rare lung disease. Strongly comparable to APF as a small, condition-specific patient support and research-funder with peer support networks and clinical guidance.
• Pulmonary Hypertension Association UK: A UK charity dedicated to a rare, serious lung/vascular condition. Comparable to APF in its single-condition focus, patient support line model, support groups, research funding, and policy advocacy for a niche respiratory patient population.
• Mesothelioma UK: A UK charity focused on a specific serious lung disease caused by asbestos exposure. Highly comparable to APF in scope: condition-specific support, specialist nurse network, research funding, and campaigning for improved care standards.
• SarcoidosisUK: A UK charity supporting people affected by sarcoidosis, another rare interstitial lung disease. Comparable to APF in its small-team, single-condition focus, patient information resources, and research funding priorities.

Market position

Strengths4 records

Weaknesses4 records

Competitive moat5 records

Key risks5 records

Key highlights6 records

Customer concentration

• Xx.com/ActionPFcharity
• YouTubeyoutube.com/channel/UCizvTJ9QqJ9KXxfLpgnSQHw/videos
• Facebookfacebook.com/actionpulmonaryfibrosis
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/action-for-pulmonary-fibrosis
• Instagraminstagram.com/actionpulmonaryfibrosis
• TikToktiktok.com/@actionpf

Compliance5 records

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles2 records

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

M&A

Investments

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

Frequently asked questions about Action For Pulmonary Fibrosis