CHC responds to Public Accounts Committee report on homelessness and housing support services

Today a report has been published by the Public Accounts Commitee looking into the workings and effectiveness of the Supporting People Programme in Wales.

The report is the result of the Committee’s inquiry into the Supporting People Programme, which took oral and written evidence from a number of organisations including Community Housing Cymru.

Significantly, the report reviews the Welsh Government's proposal to merge Supporting People with nine other grants in 2019/20 to create an Early Intervention: Prevention and Support (EIPS) Grant. We are pleased to see the commitee has recommended that the Welsh Government reconsiders the grants it proposes to include an integrated funding stream, and instead urges the Government to consider the merits of integrating Supporting People with housing and homelessness grants.

Will Atkinson, Policy and Programmes Manager at Community Housing Cymru said:

“We warmly welcome the recommendations laid out by the Public Accounts Committee. The Supporting People programme reduces the burden on a number of services including housing, health, homelessness, social care and criminal justice. It also helps vulnerable people reintegrate back into society through education, training and employment.

“We are particularly pleased to see the recommendation for Welsh Government to reconsider its plans for an integrated funding stream. We call on Welsh Government to solely integrate Supporting People with grants that will enhance the provision of services such as homelessness and housing related support grants.”