Councils must ‘invest to save’ and protect their most disadvantaged residents, Housing Minister Grant Shapps has said.
The Minister urged town halls to protect Supporting People funding to help the most vulnerable in their communities.
In a letter to council leaders, he reminded councils as they set their budgets they should consider evidence showing that every pound spent through this housing support services saves £3 – in reduced costs in homelessness, tenancy failure, crime, health and residential care packages.
So the £1.6 billion invested annually in Supporting People can save as much as £3.41 billion in the costs of alternative help for vulnerable people in our communities.
The Government protected £6.5 billion funding for Supporting People over the course of the Spending Review.
Grant Shapps said: “Local taxpayers will rightly expect their councils to do their utmost to protect the services that help the most vulnerable residents in their communities – and so do I.
“That’s why, despite the need to cut the record deficit we inherited, we’ve protected the £6.5 billion Supporting People funding which each year helps approximately a million people to live independent lives.
“As councils look to set their budgets, I would urge them to consider the evidence that with each pound spent through Supporting People saving £3 by avoiding more costly alternatives, and invest to save to ensure help continues for those most in need.”
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