Influencing change

Liver disease and liver cancer are among the UK’s fastest-growing health challenges. Too many people are diagnosed too late, face barriers to treatment, or do not get the care and support they need.

We are working to change that.

What we do

We work across the UK to influence the decisions that shape prevention, diagnosis, treatment and care.

Through our policy, campaigning and public affairs activities, we work with governments, the NHS, healthcare professionals, parliamentarians, partner organisations and people of all ages affected by liver disease to drive lasting improvements in liver health.

Our aim is simple: to make sure liver disease is taken seriously, diagnosed earlier and treated fairly, no matter where someone lives or how old they are.

In this section you will find out what needs to change, how we influence decision-makers and how you can help us campaign for better liver health.

The change we want to see

Liver disease is complex, and different conditions need different solutions. Our policy priorities focus on three main missions. We campaign to:

Prevent liver disease by tackling its main causes, including alcohol harm and the unhealthy food culture
Diagnose liver disease earlier
Ensure everyone can access good care and the treatment they need

We also work to reduce stigma and make sure no one is disadvantaged because of where they live or their circumstances. This area of our work aims to achieve lasting change and improve outcomes for everyone living with liver disease in the UK, whatever their age.

We work with partners and decision makers to:

Make early diagnosis routine
Raise standards of care
Tackle alcohol harm and change the alcohol culture
Reduce the UK’s obesogenic environment and make it easier for everyone to have a healthy diet
Achieve better outcomes for liver cancer patients
Eliminate hepatitis C
Break the silence on hepatitis B by increasing awareness, tackling stigma and improving testing and care
Ensure children and young people with liver disease get the diagnosis and care they need
Increase access to transplants and treatments

These priorities guide our campaigns, shape our policy work and support our conversations with decision-makers across the UK.

How we drive change

Too many people are affected by preventable liver disease, diagnosed too late, or unable to access the care they need. We work to change that.

We turn evidence and lived experience into action. We start by listening to people affected by liver disease and understanding their experiences. By combining these insights with evidence and clinical expertise, we build a compelling case for change and influence the decisions that shape prevention, diagnosis, treatment and care.

Working with patients, clinicians, researchers and partner organisations, we engage governments, the NHS and other decision-makers to improve liver health and reduce inequalities. We run the secretariat for the All-Party Parliamentary Group (APPG) on Liver Disease and Liver Cancer, contribute to consultations and inquiries, develop evidence-based policy solutions, build relationships with key stakeholders and work in partnership across the health sector to influence change.

Through campaigning, parliamentary engagement and contributions to national guidance, we help ensure the voices of people affected by liver disease are heard where decisions are made.

Help us drive change

Supporters play a vital role in helping us influence change. By sharing your experience, raising awareness or supporting a campaign, you can help show decision-makers why better liver health policy matters. You can help by:

sharing your story
writing to your MP or local representative
signing a petition when one is live
raising awareness in your community
sharing examples of good practice
sharing our resources for healthcare professionals and hospital engagement.
speaking at events or in parliament

Every action, no matter how small, helps build momentum for change. Whether you have lived experience, professional expertise or simply want to support our cause, this page will help you find meaningful ways to get involved. We will highlight current policy priorities, campaigns and advocacy opportunities, making it easy to add your voice, engage with decision-makers and help drive lasting change for people affected by liver disease.

Campaigning for change

Our campaigns address some of the biggest challenges in liver health, from improving early diagnosis and preventing liver disease to tackling stigma and reducing health inequalities. By combining evidence, patient experience and advocacy, we work to drive lasting change for everyone affected by liver disease.

Make Early Diagnosis Routine

Liver disease often has no symptoms in the early stages. At the moment three quarters of people are diagnosed with cirrhosis when it is too late for effective treatment. Our ‘Make early diagnosis routine’ campaign aims to ensure that there are effective early diagnosis pathways for adult liver disease in every part of the UK. As well as lobbying nationally and regionally on this issue we drive awareness and provide essential tools and knowledge to support primary care professionals. Read more.

Yellow Alert!

Our Yellow Alert campaign raises awareness of the early identification of liver disease in infants, focusing on baby jaundice as a key symptom. We have a range of new impactful materials targeting health visitors, midwives and parents. We are lobbying to get key information included in child health records and in relevant healthcare professional curricula. We also hope to develop a partnership approach with aligned businesses. Read more.

Stamp Out Stigma

Our Stamp Out Stigma campaign highlights and seeks to address the stigma experienced by people living with liver disease. Our research found that almost three-quarters of people with liver disease have experienced stigma following their diagnosis. Through our children’s services, we regularly hear how stigma affects young people and their families. More than a third of people have hidden their diagnosis from friends or colleagues, while almost one in three say that stigma has prevented them from seeking the help and support they need.

The campaign aims to empower people affected by liver disease to challenge stigma, educate healthcare professionals and the public, and raise awareness of the impact stigma can have on individuals, families and communities. Read more.

Hepatitis B: Break the Silence

The campaign aims to empower people affected by liver disease to challenge stigma, educate healthcare professionals and the public, and raise awareness of the impact stigma can have on individuals, families and communities. Read more.

Tackling alcohol harm

Alcohol-related liver disease is one of the leading causes of liver-related illness and death in the UK, yet much of this harm is preventable. As a member of the Alcohol Health Alliance, we support evidence-based policies that reduce alcohol harm and improve public health. We campaign for measures such as better consumer information, restrictions on alcohol marketing, measures that reduce the affordability of alcohol such as minimum unit pricing and improved access to specialist treatment and support services. We also work to raise awareness of the impact of alcohol harm on individuals, families and communities, and to ensure that reducing alcohol-related liver disease remains a priority for policymakers. Read more on the Alcohol Health Alliance website.

Campaigning for a healthier food environment

MASLD (metabolic dysfunction-associated steatotic liver disease) previously known as NAFLD is now one of the most common forms of liver disease in the UK and is closely linked to overweight and obesity. As a member of the Obesity Health Alliance, we support action to create healthier food environments that make it easier for everyone to make healthy choices. We advocate for policies that reduce the marketing and promotion of unhealthy food and drink, encourage product reformulation, and improve access to healthier options. By addressing the wider environmental factors that influence diet and health, we can help prevent liver disease and reduce health inequalities across the UK. Read more on the Obesity Health Alliance website.

Our policy work

We respond to consultations, develop policy recommendations and work with national bodies to improve prevention, diagnosis, treatment and care. This includes influencing NHS programmes, government strategies and guidance that affects people with liver disease and liver cancer. This work can achieve real and long-lasting change to improve outcomes for everyone living with liver disease in the UK.

Some of our policy reports include:

Time to Act on Liver Health
Hepatitis B: Break the Silence

Our public affairs work

We speak to politicians and decision-makers across the UK to keep liver disease on the agenda. Liver UK runs the secretariat for the All-Party Parliamentary Group for liver disease and liver cancer. Through this group we hold parliamentary events and debates, support parliamentarians to submit written and oral questions, write letters to Ministers and cross-party groups.

Working in partnership

We work independently and in coalition with other organisations because shared evidence and collective advocacy can have a stronger impact. These are some of our partners.

UK Liver Alliance

The UK Liver Alliance brings together charities, patient organisations and professional bodies from across the liver sector to champion improvements in liver health and care. Chaired by our Chief Executive, the Alliance includes key professional organisations such as the British Association for the Study of the Liver (BASL), the British Society of Gastroenterology (BSG) and the British Liver Nurses’ Association (BLNA). By working together and speaking with a single voice, we can build consensus, strengthen the evidence base and advocate more effectively for change across the UK.

Alcohol Health Alliance

As a member of the Alcohol Health Alliance, we work with health organisations, medical bodies and charities to reduce alcohol-related harm. Together, we advocate for evidence-based policies that protect public health, reduce health inequalities and help prevent alcohol-related liver disease. Visit the Alcohol Health Alliance website.

Obesity Health Alliance

The Obesity Health Alliance is a coalition of health organisations working to improve population health and address the environmental factors that contribute to overweight and obesity. Through our membership, we support policies that promote healthier food environments and help prevent obesity-related conditions, including MASLD. Visit the Obesity Health Alliance website.

Cancer Alliances and partnerships

We are proud to have been a founding member of the Less Survivable Cancers Taskforce and continue to play an active role in its work to improve outcomes for people diagnosed with cancers that have the lowest survival rates, including liver cancer. We also work with One Cancer Voice and other cancer charities to amplify our collective voice on issues such as earlier diagnosis, increased research investment, equitable access to treatment and better support for patients and families. By working together, we can achieve greater impact and ensure that the needs of people affected by liver cancer are heard by policymakers and healthcare leaders. We also work with the  Wales Cancer Alliance.