ABILITY and NHF WELCOME SUPPORTING PEOPLE REPORT

16/10/2009

Ability, has joined the National Housing Federation in welcoming the Audit Commission's in-depth report into Supporting People.

David Williams, Ability’s Chief Executive said “since Supporting People was launched six years ago, we’ve seen time and again the benefits that housing related support can bring to vulnerable people who want to live more independently.

“There is a growing of body evidence that demonstrates that Supporting People has prevented much higher levels of spending on health services, social services, housing departments and the probation service”.

Helen Williams, assistant director at the National Housing Federation said: "The Audit Commission's report provides welcome additional evidence on the achievements of the programme and highlights some tough challenges ahead in maintaining this progress without a named budget or national framework in a time of colossal pressure on public spending.

"Urgent action is required to ensure that more freedom and flexibility over funding delivers better services and does not squander the achievements of the last six years.

"The Audit Commission has drawn together significant evidence and concluded that local and national government should consider doing more to mitigate risks. The Federation has been calling on government to do more to safeguard services and monitor the future of housing related support and now we know local government's own spending watchdog thinks so too.

"We call on government to go further and retain the named status of the Supporting People for the next 3 years and do more focused work to encourage joined-up commissioning and local governance arrangements to safeguard and monitor services for vulnerable people."

Audit Commission Report

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