The Government are today confirming final programme grant allocations to administering authorities for the Supporting People programme in 2008-09. The programme funds housing-related support services for over 1 million vulnerable people—including victims of domestic violence, teenage parents, older people and those with mental health problems—enabling them to live independently in their accommodation. The Government have invested £8.7 billion since the Supporting People programme began in 2003 and announced a further £4.9 billion of funding for the next three years. Final allocations for 2009-10 and 2010-11 will be confirmed by a further statement to the House closer to the beginning of those financial years. In line with the Government’s policy on three-year settlements, it is not intended that the 2009-10 and 2010-11 indicative allocations will be changed from those published on 6 December, other than in exceptional circumstances.

The refreshed consultation on the Supporting People distribution formula closed in January 2008. Following consideration of the responses, we are today confirming final allocations for 2008-09 and publishing our response to that consultation on the Department’s website.

This three-year settlement, alongside a radically slimmed-down performance framework, will provide authorities with stability for the future and greater flexibility to budget and plan realistic delivery of housing support services.

A table of Supporting People final programme grant allocations for 2008-09 and a copy of the consultation response have today been placed in the Library of the House. The consultation response will be available on Communities and Local Government’s website at:

www.communities.gov.uk/publications/housing/distributionformularesponses.