40,000 families identified in first year of 'troubled families' programme

Published by 24publishing for 24dash.com in Housing and also in Central Government, Communities, Local Government

Councils have committed to start work with 41,835 families across England by the end of this financial year – representing over a third of the 120,000 the prime minister wants to see turned around by the end of this Parliament.

Communities secretary Eric Pickles says the Government’s troubled families programme – which pays councils by results – is on track.

Under the deal with local authorities, the Government will pay councils up to £4,000 per eligible family if they reduce truancy, youth crime and anti-social behaviour or put parents back into work.

Mr Pickles today confirmed his department has paid out over £100m in the first round of payment-by-results attachment fees, which, he says, will allow local authorities to move quickly to reorganise services and start working with families.

Mr Pickles said: "I'm delighted that this programme is progressing so quickly as it is crucial to turning around the lives of families that have been untouched by the State for a generation or more and turning around communities that are blighted by the problems these families cause.

"Up-front 'attachment fees' allow local services to be expanded and transformed in order to provide the joined-up and challenging approach we know is needed with these families, so it is good news that the Government has already paid out over £100million to allow this work to begin.

"However under our payment-by-results programme full payment will not be made unless and until our goals of reducing truancy, youth crime, anti-social behaviour and unemployment have been achieved, as well as reducing the costs these families cause to the taxpayer."