On Wednesday 6 March, the Communities Minister Gordon Lyons MLA announced that an additional £3 million in funding would be provided for the Supporting People programme in this financial year.

The Supporting People programme is administered by the Housing Executive on behalf of the Department for Communities to “provide housing support services to vulnerable people, to enable them to live as independently as possible in the community.” Funding is provided across four areas: homelessness, disability and mental health, older and younger people. Around 85 organisations receive funding for over 850 housing support services. It is one of the key funding streams for services providing support to people at risk of or experiencing homelessness here.

Mark Baillie, Homeless Connect Policy and Public Affairs Manager, welcomed the news saying:

“Homeless Connect welcomes the news £3 million in additional funding will be provided to the Supporting People Programme this year. It is a clear recognition from the Department for Communities of the value of the services being provided through the programme to many vulnerable people who need housing support. We know that it will be beneficial to providers and to those they support.

 

Providers funded through the programme, who are mainly charities, are facing significant and growing financial challenges. While this one-off additional investment is a positive step, providers need sustained, recurring additional funding to ensure that they can continue to provide high-quality housing support to those who need it in the months and years to come. it is our hope that the Department will make every effort to ensure that a much-needed uplift to the recurring baseline funding is provided in 2024/5.”