Supporting People makes sense
Why Cymorth Cymru is calling for protection for the programme that helps the most disadvantaged in our communities
As we all know, the recent UK government spending review means that the welsh government is facing significant cuts to its overall revenue budget and some difficult decisions will need to be made as budgets are finalised for 2014/15. as the umbrella body for organisations working with vulnerable people, Cymorth Cymru recognises the importance of the Supporting People Programme grant and is working hard to try and secure protection for this crucial funding stream that supports the most vulnerable in our society.
The Supporting People Programme Grant (SPPG) supports over 56,000 people each year to live as independently as they can and build happy and rewarding lives. The services it funds provide support to some of the most vulnerable people in Wales, including people facing homelessness, families fleeing domestic abuse, people dealing with mental or physical health problems, people with learning disabilities, veterans, vulnerable young people and older people. The programme is specifically focused on housing-related support, homelessness and supported living services and aims to prevent problems by providing help as early as possible.
Increase in homelessness
In times of economic uncertainty we see an increase in mental ill health, domestic abuse and homelessness. The number of people experiencing homelessness in Wales is rising, with statutory homelessness applications up by 3 per cent in 2011/12 compared to the previous year, and 19 per cent higher than in 2009/101. With the UK Government’s welfare reform programme starting to take effect, homelessness in Wales is set to increase even further.
As instances of homelessness rise, there will be an increased demand for support services. The UK Government’s spending review and subsequent budget squeezes within the Welsh Government mean that vulnerable people are facing a ‘perfect storm’ with the services they rely on potentially facing significant funding cuts, just as they are needed most.
Providers of housing- related support services help vulnerable people overcome the barriers that they face in breaking the ‘revolving door’ of homelessness. They support people through changes to their benefits by helping them to develop life skills such as budgeting, shopping and cooking on a low income, as well as the skills and experience needed to move into employment. Many of these services are already stretched to capacity and any cuts to their funding could result in the loss of a vital safety net, allowing vulnerable people to slip through the cracks.
The best return
At a time when public spending needs to stretch further than ever before, ensuring that we get the best return on public spending is paramount. In helping thousands of people each year tackle the barriers they face to building positive and independent lives, support services make a significant contribution to national policy objectives in areas such as health and community safety, with research indicating that the savings achieved by the sector outweigh the costs. For example, a study by Carmarthenshire County Council estimated that for every £1 spent on Supporting People services, the saving for the public purse is £2.302.
Support providers are able to offer early intervention and support, meaning that fewer people reach a crisis point where they need intensive or long-term treatment from the health service. With constantly squeezed budgets, higher demand and the expectation to deliver more for less, the preventative agenda is critical to reducing the impact on the NHS. Cutting the Supporting People budget would therefore be a false economy, leading to greater costs to the public purse over the longer term.
The SPPG provides a lifeline to many of the most vulnerable people in Wales. It has a key role to play in achieving social justice with the ability to mitigate the impacts of welfare reform and protecting some of the most marginalised people in Welsh society. Eroding these services now would only serve to further marginalise these people and increase demand on already-stretched public services.
Over the years, the Welsh Government has demonstrated its ongoing commitment to the Supporting People programme, recognising the positive impact it has on communities, our economy and vulnerable individuals. In these straitened financial times Cymorth Cymru is calling on the Welsh Government to continue to stand up for the most disadvantaged in our communities and do all it can to protect the services these people rely on at a time when they’re needed most.
1. Crisis Homelessness Monitor: Wales 2012
For more information on Cymorth Cymru and full contact details go to www.cymorthcymru.org.uk