Public Health Grant Allocations: Local Authorities

Neil O'Brien Excerpts

Tuesday 14th March 2023 Written Statements

[The Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State for Health and Social Care (Neil O’Brien)]

Today I am publishing the Public Health Grant allocations to local authorities in England for 2023- 24, along with indicative allocations for 2024-25.

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

The 2021 spending review confirmed that the level of funding for the public health grant to local authorities would increase over the spending review period, and all local authorities received a 2.8% increase in 2022-23 taking the public health grant to £3.417 billion.

In 2023-24, through the public health grant and the pilot of 100% retained business rate funding for local authorities in Greater Manchester, we are increasing funding to £3.529 billion, providing each local authority with a 3.3% cash terms increase. To help local authorities plan ahead, we are also publishing today indicative allocations for 2024-25, on the basis of a further 1.3% cash uplift which would take 2024-25 funding to £3.575 billion. This will provide every local authority with real-terms funding protection in each of the next two years.

These allocations include baselining of local government funding of £1.4 million a year for their enforcement duties under the Botulinum Toxin and Fillers (Children) Act 2021.

The allocations I am announcing today are part of a wider package of investment in public health services. This includes additional targeted investment up to 2025 of £516 million going to local authorities to improve drug and alcohol addiction treatment and £170 million to improve the Start for Life services available to families with a majority allocated to 75 local authority areas, as part of the joint DfE and DHSC £300 million Family Hubs and Start for Life programme.

This overall funding package will deliver a real-terms increase of more than 5% in DHSC investment in local authority public health functions over the next two years, enabling local authorities to invest in prevention of ill health and in essential frontline services.

The 2023-24 the 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 2023-24 and indicative allocations for 2024-25 can be found on www.gov.uk and are attached. This information has been communicated to local authorities in a Local Authority Circular.

[HCWS633]