The T. S. Eliot Prize for Poetry is an award given to poets by the T. S. Eliot Foundation. For many years, it was managed by the Eliots' Poetry Book Society (UK), which honored the best collection of new English poetry first published in the United Kingdom or the Republic of Ireland each year. The prize was started in 1993 to celebrate the Poetry Book Society's 40th anniversary and to honor its founder, T. S. Eliot. At first, the prize money was donated by Eliot's wife, Valerie Eliot. Later, the T. S. Eliot Estate provided the funds.

In 2016, the T. S. Eliot Foundation took over managing the prize. Chris Holifield, who had previously worked for the Poetry Book Society, became the new director. This change happened because the Poetry Book Society charity had to close down, and its book club and company name were taken over by Inpress Ltd in Newcastle. Holifield left his position in June 2022 after 20 years and was replaced by Mike Sims. The winner of the prize now receives £25,000, and each of the ten shortlisted poets gets £1,500. This makes it the most valuable poetry competition in the United Kingdom. The prize is often called "the most desired award in poetry."

Each year, the shortlist of ten poets is announced in October. These poets participate in a reading event at the Royal Festival Hall in London's Southbank Centre the night before the prize is awarded. In 2011, 2,000 people attended the reading.

Winners and Shortlists

In the year 2001, Canadian poet Anne Carson became the first woman to win the TS Eliot Prize. In 2011, two people who were considered for the prize, including Alice Oswald who had won in 2002, removed their works to protest the sponsor.