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Welsh Government protects Supporting People budget
The Welsh Government will protect the Supporting People fund as part of its new budget after striking a deal with Plaid Cymru.
Ministers have committed to replenishing the £125m grant for the next two years. The funds are handed to councils to pay for housing support services for people vulnerable to homelessness, as well as older people and disabled people.
The Welsh Government is due to publish its draft budget for 2018/19 tomorrow.
As it does not have a majority, the Labour Welsh Government needs support from other parties’ Assembly members to pass budgets.
It reached a £210m agreement with Plaid Cymru yesterday, which includes £10m to ensure the Supporting People grant will be maintained at 2017/18 levels.
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“At a time when budgets are tight and financial pressures are impacting services, we are pleased that the Welsh Government budget recognises the importance of the Supporting People programme and protects the budget for the next two years,” said Stuart Ropke, chief executive of Community Housing Cymru, which led the sector campaign for the budget to be protected.
“The two-year budget settlement will allow for stability and the longer-term planning of services, but we mustn’t forget that providers continue to operate in a challenging environment where costs are increasing and difficult decisions have to be taken.”
Around 67,000 people a year in Wales use services funded by the Supporting People programme.
Matt Dicks, director of the Chartered Institute of Housing Cymru, said: “It is fantastic to see that politicians have listened to housing professionals, and today hammered out a budget deal that protects levels of the Supporting People grant.
“Cuts to this part of the budget would impact on the most vulnerable in our society, and it is vitally important to protect the grant at current levels to ensure services can continue offering the support and assistance that is helping so many people.”
