3. Background
Supporting People was an integrated policy and funding framework designed to provide Housing Support Services to a range of vulnerable people over the age of 16, in order that they could move into or remain living in their own homes. The Supporting People programme was introduced in Scotland, in April 2003, when funding was transferred from the Department for Work and Pensions ( DWP) to the Scottish Executive. This, in turn was administered as a ring fenced grant to the Scottish local authorities who have the responsibility for assessing local need and providing these services or purchasing Housing Support Services from external providers in order to meet these needs.
From April 2008 there will no longer be a ring fenced Supporting People grant nor a requirement to report in detail on funding spent on Housing Support Services. As part of the Spending Review it was announced that the Supporting People budget has been absorbed into the main local government settlement. The aim in removing ring fencing is to give greater flexibility in the use of funding and lift unnecessary accounting and reporting burdens. Funding will no longer be restricted to the 21 prescribed housing support services, allowing more flexible support packages to be developed with less bureaucracy. While there is no longer a separate funding stream the Scottish Government remains committed to the important role of Housing Support Services in supporting vulnerable people to live independent lives.
Local authorities are required to provide annual client statistics and financial returns to the Scottish Government for the financial year 2007-2008 and it is anticipated that there will be one further Supporting People statistical publication in 2009.
Further information can be found on the Supporting People website:
http://www.scotland.gov.uk/Topics/Housing/Housing/supportpeople/intro