A new report from LGIU and Circle revealed that 88% of 139 local authorities surveyed admitted that cuts to housing related support would put vulnerable people at risk. Although 93% of the authorities thought that Supporting People services benefitted vulnerable people almost half were planning to make cuts to services to save money.
The report demonstrates that money invested in Supporting People can save money in the longer term – local authorities who measured outcomes showed that for every £1 spent on Supporting People they were saving £2.63. The savings from Supporting People also benefit other public services such as the NHS by reducing admissions to hospital and the police by reducing the incidence of anti-social behaviour.
The report calls on government to prioritise support for local community budgets and for local authorities to recognise the value of preventative support services and nominate a portfolio holder who moves across service areas