Speaking as Co-Sponsor at today’s Cymorth Cymru and Community Housing Cymru campaign rally for the Supporting People Programme, North Wales Assembly Member Mark Isherwood highlighted the value for money the programme provides and said protecting its budget is a “no brainer”.
The programme prevents homelessness and supports over 60,000 marginalised and at risk people in Wales each year to live independently in their own homes, and with dignity in their community.
Mr Isherwood, the Shadow Communities Secretary, stated that over 750,000 lives have been transformed since its inception in 2004 – providing an essential, preventative service that makes a real difference to the lives of those who benefit from it, increasing their resilience and their ability to maintain a secure home, as well as reducing their demand on health and social services.
He said:
“As last year’s ‘Supporting People data linkage feasibility study’ showed, Supporting People interventions reduce use of Accident and Emergency and GP surgeries, meaning fewer resources used, and greater availability of services for the general population.
“Supporting People Providers have been doing all they can to cut costs and deliver effective and essential prevention services with decreasing budgets – and yesterday’s announcement that the Supporting People Programme will receive an additional £10 million in each of the next 2 years is therefore welcomed.
“Even with this, however, the real terms funding reductions since 2013 will not be fully made up by 2020 – and with £4million from the additional £10 million promised each year going through the Communities Secretary’s budget, it is essential that this money should be ring-fenced for housing associations and Third sector providers.
“After all, when funding was transferred to local authorities, Cymorth Cymru, Community Housing Cymru and their members worked to ensure that ring-fencing should be effectively secured through the creation of Regional Collaborative Committees with provider representation.
“The Welsh Government has consistently highlighted the need for value for money from the Supporting People Programme, and last week’s ‘The Wallich – Support that Saves’ Assembly event presented analysis showing that the Supporting People-funded support investigated in their report saved £2.99 for every pound spent. As I asked when responding to the Draft Budget Statement in the Chamber yesterday, ‘how is the Welsh Government working with front-line providers and people who receive the services to ask how, by investing more in those services, it can reduce multiples more in terms of cost to statutory services?’ ”