25 April 2003
HOUSING SUPPORT RECEIVES £153M BOOST
More than £153 million over the next three years has been secured to provide essential back-up housing services for some of the most vulnerable members of society, Des Browne MP, the Minister with responsibility for Social Development said today.
Announcing the first funding allocation to the Supporting People Fund, originally proposed in the Assembly’s Housing Bill and established by Order in Council at Westminster earlier this year, the Minister said:
"This fund, which will be administered by the Housing Executive, will support people living at the margins of society. These include those who are socially excluded and those whose circumstances leave them with little hope.
"There is no greater aspiration than the desire to live an independent life in the community. The establishment of a single fund will consolidate existing funding streams thereby removing the disadvantages that these presently create.
"Housing Support comes in many different forms. The most common is that provided by wardens in sheltered accommodation or support provided in homeless hostels.
"It may be something practical like helping a person to set up and maintain a home. It might be helping a person to develop domestic and practical skills to enable them to live more independently or simply giving them advice on issues such as financial management. It could equally be something personal like helping to develop social skills, giving emotional support and advice or simply befriending someone who is lonely. Or it may be aimed at ensuring that vulnerable people feel safe in their homes by giving help in establishing personal safety and security or providing community alarms."
NOTES TO EDITORS:
Funding allocation in £million.
2003/04
2004/05
2005/06
Transfer from Transitional Housing Benefit
36.8
39.9
41.4
SR 2002
6.4
6.6
6.6
Transfer from the Probation Board for NI
0.5
0.5
0.5
Transfer from existing baselines (SNMA)
4.78
4.78
4.78
TOTAL
48.48
51.78
53.28
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