Supporting People receives £1.4bn lift

The first year of Supporting People, the new funding regime for
housing with support, is to receive £1.4bn government
funding.

The grant will be paid to the 150 lead authorities running the
scheme – which starts in April – through partnerships with local
social services, health, housing and probation services.

A £173m administrative fund for Supporting People was
announced in the Sustainable Communities plan earlier this
month.

Announcing the new money last week, housing minister Jeff Rooker
said councils had been asked for an immediate review of health,
housing, social services and probation services to form the basis
of future Supporting People funding.

Homelessness umbrella organisation Homeless Link welcomed the money
but said it was worried how the programme would be financed after
its first year.

Andrew van Doorn, national policy and research officer, said: “We
are not alone in feeling that there will have to be significant
cuts to the fund in the future.”