Personal profile
Overview
Neil Howlett has over 15 years of research experience in the areas of behaviour change and public health, with a particular interest in physical activity. Neil's expertise includes: designing, implementing, and evaluating interventions to help individuals, communities, and populations change a range of health behaviours; systematic reviews and meta-analyses; behaviour change theories; policy and research briefings; pragmatic evaluations of public health programmes. Neil has achieved circa £7.5m of grant funding including leading on Department of Health, Lottery, and Local Enterprise Partnership-funded grants with the charity HENRY and co-leading the design and evaluation of the Active Herts programme. A key current grant is the NIHR-funded PHIRST Connect Team, with leadership of two PHIRST evaluations focusing on community champions and researchers during COVID-19 in Southampton, and Green Health Prescriptions in Scotland. Neil is also currently working with the UCL hub of the NIHR-funded Policy Research Unit in Behavioural and Social Sciences and is a former Treasurer and Trustee of the Behavioural Science and Public Health Network.
Education/Academic qualification
Psychology, PhD, Evidence-based and theoretically-driven behaviour change interventions for physical activity to enhance health and wellbeing
2014 → 2019
Psychology, MSc by Research, Identifying the non-linguistic impact of gestural communication with infants
2009 → 2010
Psychology, BSc, BSc (Hons) Psychology
2005 → 2008
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Collaborations and top research areas from the last five years
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PHIRST II: Public Health Interventions Responsive Studies Team (PHIRST) Connect (re-commissioning 2025-2030).
Brown, K. (PI), Jones, J. (CoI), Newby, K. (CoI), Howlett, N. (CoI) & Smeeton, N. (CoI)
NIHR - National Institute for Health Research
1/08/25 → 31/07/30
Project: Research
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ELBOW: Evaluation of Live Life Better Derbyshire Health Checks with Online booking and text reminders for Wellbeing (ELBOW)
Lloyd, N. (PI), Bontoft, C. (Researcher), Jones, J. (CoI), Smeeton, N. (Researcher), Wagner, A. P. (CoI), Miners, L. (Researcher), Breslin, G. (CoI), Freethy, I. (Researcher), Howlett, N. (CoI), Kudrna, L. (CoI), Lamming, L. (Researcher), Newby, K. (CoI), Wellings, A. (CoI), Wellsted, D. (CoI) & Brown, K. (CoI)
15/09/23 → 31/03/25
Project: Research
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Green Health Prescription Evaluation (GRAPPEL)
Howlett, N. (PI), Freethy, I. (Researcher), Lloyd, N. (Researcher), Bontoft, C. (Researcher), Newby, K. (CoI), Fakoya, O. (Researcher), Jones, J. (CoI), Smeeton, N. (CoI), Wellsted, D. (CoI), Wellings, A. (CoI), Bartington, S. (CoI), Breslin, G. (CoI), Wagner, A. P. (CoI), Miners, L. (Researcher) & Brown, K. (CoPI)
1/10/22 → 31/01/24
Project: Research
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Southampton Covid Participatory Action Research and Champions initiative Evaluation (CoPACT)
Howlett, N. (PI), Bontoft, C. (Researcher), Lloyd, N. (Researcher), Freethy, I. (Researcher), Newby, K. (CoI), Fakoya, O. (Researcher), Wellings, A. (CoI), Jones, J. (CoI), Smeeton, N. (CoI), Wellsted, D. (CoI), Bartington, S. (CoI), Breslin, G. (CoI), Wagner, A. (CoI), Miners, L. (Researcher) & Brown, K. (CoPI)
1/04/22 → 30/04/23
Project: Research
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The effects of graded tasks on physical activity: a systematic review and meta-analysis
Gibson, S., Epton, T., Newby, K., Brown, K., Armitage, C. & Howlett, N., 5 Feb 2026, In: Health Psychology Review.Research output: Contribution to journal › Article › peer-review
Open Access -
Coping during the COVID-19 pandemic: lessons for public health services from a qualitative study of organisational resilience in an English substance use support service
Lloyd, N., Wills, W., Freethy, I., Fakoya, O., Bontoft, C., Garcia Iglesias, J., Bartington, S., Breslin, G., Howlett, N., Jones, J., Newby, K., Smeeton, N., Wellings, A., Wellsted, D. & Brown, K., 23 Dec 2025, (E-pub ahead of print) In: Critical Public Health.Research output: Contribution to journal › Article › peer-review
Open AccessFile -
Factors that influence the commissioning and implementation of integrated care for adults at risk of cardiovascular disease and mild-to-moderate mental health concerns in the UK: a systematic review protocol
Howlett, N., Antonopoulou, V., McKinlay, A., Lorencatto, F., McGowan, L., Osborn, D., O'Donnell, A., Oliver, E., Vlaev, I., Sniehotta, F., Kelly, M., Michie, S., Kemp, C., Pappas, Y., Randhawa, G., Ali, N., Munro, E. & Chater, A., 14 Nov 2025, In: Systematic reviews. 14, 1, 8 p., 224.Research output: Contribution to journal › Article › peer-review
Open AccessFile -
Home working during the COVID-19 pandemic: The experience of drug and alcohol support workers
Lloyd, N., Wills, W., Freethy, I., Fakoya, O., Bontoft, C., Garcia Iglesias, J., Bartington, S., Bartington, S., Breslin, G., Howlett, N., Jones, J., Newby, K., Smeeton, N., Wellings, A., Wellsted, D. & Brown, K., 12 Nov 2025, (E-pub ahead of print) In: Journal of Public Health Research. 14, 4, 13 p.Research output: Contribution to journal › Article › peer-review
Open AccessFile1 Citation (Scopus)6 Downloads (Pure) -
Exploring the factors that influence engagement with and experiences of integrated care for adults at risk of cardiovascular disease and mild-to-moderate mental health concerns in the UK (OptICS): a systematic review protocol
McKinlay, A., Howlett, N., Antonopoulou, V., Lorencatto, F., McGowan, L., Osborn, D., O'Donnell, A., Oliver, E., Vlaev, I., Sniehotta, F., Kelly, M., Michie, S., Kemp, C., Pappas, Y., Randhawa, G., Ali, N., Munro, E. & Chater, A., 23 Aug 2025, In: Systematic reviews. 14, 9 p., 168.Research output: Contribution to journal › Article › peer-review
Open AccessFile