The 'Troubled Families' programme in England is to be expanded, the coalition government has announced. In 2015-16, £200 million will be invested in providing intensive help to a further 400,000 high-risk families – on top of the £1 billion already committed to helping 120,000 families over the period 2010–2015. There will be new incentives for local services such as the police, health and social services to work more closely together in order to reduce costs and improve outcomes for families.

The announcement was reported as a victory for Louise Casey, the civil servant in charge of the programme, coming at a time when the coalition government is seeking to cut a further £11.5 billion from the public spending total in 2015-16.

The government was keen to emphasise the cost-effectiveness of the programme, pointing out that a one-off average investment of £4,500 in work with each family is expected to reduce the annual £15,000 cost to the public purse of dealing with their problems.

Source: Press release 24 June 2013, HM Treasury/Department for Communities and Local Government
Links: HMT/DCLG press release | 4Children press release | Childrens Commissioner press release | RIP press release | Guardian report | Inside Housing report | Public Finance report