Public Health Grant: Local Authority Allocations 2024-25

Andrea Leadsom Excerpts

Monday 5th February 2024 Written Statements

[The Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State for Health and Social Care (Dame Andrea Leadsom)]

Today I am publishing the Public Health Grant allocations to local authorities in England for 2024-25.

Funding for local government’s health responsibilities is an essential element of our commitment to investing in preventing ill health, promoting healthier lives and addressing health disparities, and an important complement to our investment in both health and social care.

In 2024-25, we are increasing funding through the Public Health Grant and the pilot of 100% retained business rate funding for local authorities in Greater Manchester to £3.603 billion.

The allocations I am announcing today are part of a wider package of investment in public health services. From 2024-25 we are investing an additional £70 million per year to support local authority-led stop smoking services—nearly doubling current spend on these services—in support of our commitment to deliver a smoke-free generation. This further supplements targeted DHSC allocations to local authorities over the spending review period of £516 million to improve drug and alcohol addiction treatment and recovery, and £170 million to improve the Start for Life services.

This overall package will deliver a real-terms increase of more than 4% over the two years 2023-24 and 2024-25 in DHSC funding allocated for local authority public health functions over the spending review period, enabling local authorities to invest in the prevention of ill health and in essential frontline services.

The 2024-25 Public Health Grant will continue to be subject to conditions, including a ring-fence requiring local authorities to use the grant exclusively for public health activity.

Full details of the Public Health Grant allocations to local authorities for 2024-25 can be found on www.gov.uk. This information has been communicated to local authorities in a Local Authority Circular.

Attachments can be viewed online at:

http://www.parliament.uk/business/publications/written-questions-answers-statements/written-statement/Commons/2024-02-05/HCWS239/.

[HCWS239]