Community Care: Autism and Learning Disability

(asked on 18th October 2021) - View Source

Question to the Department for Levelling Up, Housing & Communities:

To ask the Secretary of State for Levelling Up, Housing and Communities, if he will publish details on what funding the Government is providing to local authorities to build community support to prevent people with a learning disability, and/or autism, from being admitted to inpatient units.


Answered by
Eddie Hughes Portrait
Eddie Hughes
This question was answered on 26th October 2021

Government funding for local support services, including services for those with a learning disability and/or autism, is paid through the Local Government Finance Settlement (England), with an estimated £360 million (gross) spend on commissioned support by local authorities in 2019/20.

Since 2010 Government has invested over £4 billion into the local authority administered Disabled Facilities Grant (2010-11 to 2021-22), to help disabled people remain living safely and independently at home. Forthcoming guidance on Disabled Facilities Grant delivery for local authorities will be clear that the grant is for all disabled people including those with a learning disability and/or autism.

The Government is also investing more than £90 million in 2020/21 in the development of services to support people with a learning disability and/ or autism to have their mental health needs met in the community instead of in a mental health inpatient setting, this comprises of £31 million of mental health recovery funding for the learning disability and autism programme, £40 million as part of the NHS Long Term Plan and £21 million for the Community Discharge Grant.

Reticulating Splines