The Government has announced that 18 areas across England will receive a share of £55.8m as part of a new phase of the Changing Futures programme.
The Changing Futures programme aims to improve outcomes for adults experiencing multiple disadvantage, bringing together local partnerships across heath, social care, substance misuse, housing, police, criminal justice and voluntary sectors to help people with the most complex problems regain control over their lives with the right support at the right time.
This announcement builds on learning from the first phase of the programme, which worked with 15 local partnerships across England over a 5-year period from July 2021 to March 2026. This new phase will link closely with wider work on public service reform and contribute to the government’s learning on multiple disadvantage.
MEAM has been pleased to work closely with local areas involved in phase 1 of the programme, and we are delighted to see continued cross-government investment and focus on this important topic.
Oliver Hilbery, Chief Executive at MEAM said:
“We are pleased to hear that 18 local areas will receive funding under a new phase of Changing Futures to transform the way that services and systems support people facing multiple disadvantage.
“Multiple disadvantage is a systemic issue, not an individual one. The strength of Changing Futures is that it recognises this, actively supporting local improvements at individual, service and system levels while also working across national government departments to improve the way that multiple disadvantage is understood, funded and supported.
“It has been our pleasure to work closely with local areas involved in phase 1 of the programme, supporting their learning and connecting them with the wider MEAM Approach network.
“We are delighted to see continued cross-government investment and focus on this important topic.”
The 18 areas involved in phase two of the programme are:
- Blackpool
- Middlesbrough
- Manchester*
- Birmingham**
- Hartlepool
- Kingston upon Hull
- Liverpool
- Blackburn w Darwen
- Oldham*
- Bradford
- Knowsley
- Leicester
- Rochdale*
- Sandwell**
- Nottingham
- Stoke-on-Trent
- Sunderland
- Wolverhampton**
Greater Manchester Combined Authority* and West Midlands Combined Authority** will receive combined funding for the target councils within their geography, in line with local agreement to develop a collaborative approach in the combined authority area.