What is Social Prescribing?

This explainer from the King’s Fund gives a useful update on social prescribing and shares growing evidence on how health and care professionals connect people to a range of non-clinical support in community settings.

Examples include utilising arts activities, undertaking sport and exercise, participation in nature groups, and securing employment and housing, usually through a social prescribing link worker. Interventions are predominantly non-medical and coproduced to maximise ways to improve people’s health and well-being and to strengthen their community connections.

The resource, updated in 2026, also outlines UK-wide and international developments in social prescribing and looks ahead to the future of social prescribing.