Obesity Pathway Innovation Programme (OPIP) – Strand 2
Award: Share of £85 Million
Programme: Innovate UK (with DSIT & Eli Lilly and Company Limited)
Opens: 8 September 2025
Closing date: 19th November 2025
Overview
Innovate UK, in partnership with the Department for Science, Innovation and Technology (DSIT) and Eli Lilly and Company Limited, will invest up to £85 million in innovative obesity pathway projects. DSIT will provide £50 million and Lilly £35 million, with at least £10 million ring-fenced for devolved health services.
The competition supports the creation of community and primary-care-based weight-management pathways that provide holistic, person-centred care in line with NICE NG246 and SIGN guidance. Pathways must integrate lifestyle, psychological, and pharmacological interventions (where appropriate) while remaining resource-efficient and clinically safe.
Funded services are expected to be operational by 1 August 2026, evaluated for impact, and inform future guidance and commissioning models across the UK.
Eligibility
- Funding is on a no-subsidy basis (Subsidy Control Act 2022).
- Project costs: between £2 million and £4.5 million.
- Must start by 1 May 2026, deliver services by 1 August 2026, and end by 31 March 2029.
- All work must be carried out in the UK, with results exploited from or in the UK.
- Lead organisation: an eligible NHS body (Integrated Care Board in England, Health Board in Scotland, Local Health Board in Wales, or Health & Social Care Trust in Northern Ireland).
- The lead must head a consortium of delivery partners such as community pharmacies, general practices, CICs, or third-sector providers.
- Each public-sector body may lead on up to two applications across all OPIP strands.
- Subcontractors allowed (UK-based, fair-market value).
- Must not act economically or gain a selective commercial advantage.
- Projects must meet Lilly’s grant-eligibility criteria and project principles set out in the Assessor Guidance.
- Must comply with all relevant clinical, governance, legal, and regulatory standards (NICE, NHSE, GMC, GPhC, CQC etc.).
Exclusions
Innovate UK will not fund projects that:
- Focus on or promote a specific obesity medication or class of medicine.
- Compromise patient safety or fail to offer holistic care and full intervention choice.
- Are retrospective or constitute clinical research.
- Fail to disclose the Lilly funding declaration in all materials.
- Involve state aid or subsidy, or any entity under UK sanctions.
Award & Project Duration
- Award: Up to £36 million allocated to Strand 2 projects.
- Funding rate: 100 % of eligible project costs.
- Duration: Projects from May 2026 to March 2029 (max 47 months).
Key Dates
- Closes: 19th November 2025
