About NHS LifeCheck

NHS LifeCheck is an online service that will help people assess how their lifestyle may affect their health. It does not replace the need to see GPs and health professionals, but gives people current information and advice on how and where to find the best help for their concerns. The service informs, empowers and supports people to make long-term lifestyles changes, helping them to live more healthily and for longer.

NHS LifeCheck is the result of a government white paper called "Our health, our care, our say" (2006), which promised to give people more information and opportunities to take control of their health. The full policy background is detailed in Developing the NHS LifeCheck: a summary of the evidence base (PDF, 1.46Mb).

Also see What is NHS LifeCheck? for more background information.

Is NHS LifeCheck just another government campaign?

No. NHS LifeCheck is an online service which provides information, advice and support to users. It includes the important messages of many other campaigns and provides links to targeted support such as NHS Smokefree, Change4Life or Talk to Frank. The service is free for everyone and meets the public’s demand for more information to make better choices.

What is the need for NHS LifeCheck?

The "Your health, your care, your say" report shows that people are clearly interested in taking more responsibility for their health and wellbeing. Three-quarters of participants identified regular health checks as a top priority to help them do this.

The NHS LifeCheck assessments are a user-friendly way of providing advice on a whole range of topics, which users can access at a convenient time.

How does NHS LifeCheck tackle health inequalities?

NHS LifeCheck has been carefully designed to meet the needs of more socially disadvantaged and vulnerable groups. Health and social care professionals can use it in their work with members of the public who are most vulnerable to poor health. NHS LifeCheck empowers people by giving them the information they want to make decisions that could improve their long-term health and wellbeing.

How can I access NHS LifeCheck?

NHS LifeCheck is a free service. All you need is internet access. Research indicates that a very high proportion of younger people using NHS LifeCheck are regular internet users with high levels of access. However, the NHS LifeCheck team is working with local authorities to ensure that all members of the public can do an NHS LifeCheck, regardless of age and including those who have no internet access at home. Access for these people is available through local libraries, the workplace or community centres.

Find out more about digital inclusion

What are the short- and long-term aims of NHS LifeCheck?

NHS LifeCheck, with its emphasis on empowerment, choice and access, has a crucial role in helping the NHS and the government to achieve their overall objectives for health and social care reform. These are:

developing services that are truly responsive to people’s needs
preventing ill-health by promoting healthier lifestyles
reducing health inequalities

NHS LifeCheck gives users access to credible, trustworthy information to enable them to make decisions about their health and wellbeing and to effectively tackle health inequalities.

Frequently asked questions