PRESS RELEASE : Life chances of vulnerable adults improved as government extends £73 million ‘Changing Futures’ programme [April 2023]

The press release issued by the Department for Levelling Up, Housing and Communities on 4 April 2023.

A £73 million scheme to improve peoples’ life chances has been extended as Government increases support for vulnerable people.

• Changing Futures Programme extended until 2025 to support England’s most vulnerable adults
• £7 million additional funding for local areas to provide world class support services designed to meet each person’s unique needs
• Part of government’s commitment to improve life chances of people facing disadvantage

A £73 million scheme to improve peoples’ life chances has been extended as Government increases support for vulnerable people.

Local areas participating in the Changing Future programme will now have an extra year to deliver pioneering support services to people facing multiple issues including mental ill health, homelessness, drug and alcohol misuse and domestic abuse.

The extension to the programme, which launched in 2021, is backed by £9.5 million from the government’s Shared Outcomes Fund.

The programme is designed to overcome challenges adults face in receiving support from the NHS and local support services. It focuses on bringing together the work of local councils, charities and support services into easily accessible teams that can better cater for a person’s range of issues, rather than them having to seek separate support for each area of their life.

New research from the government, published today, shows that Changing Futures is reaching those most in need, with nearly 7 in 10 people on the programme having experience of more than one mental or physical health issue.

Minister for Housing and Homelessness, Felicity Buchan said:

“The Changing Futures programme is making a difference to thousands of lives up and down the country – helping us reach some of the most vulnerable people and giving them the specialist support they need to improve their lives.

“The extension and funding we are announcing today will help support even more people and I look forward to seeing what other long lasting changes local areas can deliver for these individuals.”

Changing Futures is co-funded and run in conjunction with the National Lottery Community Fund.

David Knott, Chief Executive of The National Lottery Community Fund, said:

“The Changing Futures programme is showing that – when equipped with the right tools and support – vulnerable people facing multiple disadvantage can make significant changes to improve their lives and have a positive impact on the communities they are part of.

“As joint funder, we have seen first-hand the difference this programme has made since 2021. I welcome the Government’s plans to extend it and am excited to see what comes next.”

Examples of local initiatives funded by the programme include:

• A new service in Surrey which uses the latest developments in trauma support  for women dealing with domestic abuse
• A specialist mental health and wellbeing team in Essex for individuals who have struggled to access mainstream health services.
• Specialist workers in Nottingham to help people get the support they need with links to specific GP, mental health and housing support

Anna Smith – Bristol Changing Futures Programme Director, said:

“I am proud to be leading the Changing Futures programme in Bristol. It is wonderful to see agencies from across the city working in partnership to trial different approaches to working with people facing Multiple Disadvantage.

“By taking a My Team Around Me approach with our clients, we aim to end the revolving door which sees them lose trust in the system and disengage from services and support them to independence.

“We welcome today’s announcement and look forward to hearing more about what it means for Bristol.”

Areas receiving support include Essex, Westminster, Sussex, Surrey, Bristol, Plymouth, Nottingham, Stoke-on-Trent, Hull, Sheffield, Leicester, Northumbria (Northumberland, Newcastle, Gateshead, North Tyneside, South Tyneside, and Sunderland), South Tees (Middlesbrough, and Redcar and Cleveland), Lancashire (Blackpool, Lancashire, and Blackburn with Darwen) and Greater Manchester.

Case study from the Changing Futures programme:

• Jane was referred into the Changing Futures partnership in Essex as she had been making daily use of emergency services.
• She had entrenched complex needs, including mental ill-health and alcohol misuse, and her traumatic past experiences meant she had difficulty trusting professionals.
• Regular multi-disciplinary meetings, including with her GP, Essex Alcohol Recovery Community, the Mental Health & Wellbeing Team and a local homeless charity, meant the teams could identify the best ways to support Jane.
• Jane was successful in reducing her alcohol use, which has had a positive impact on her mental and physical health.