The Communities and Local Government Committee is undertaking an inquiry into the Government's "Supporting People" programme. Supporting People provides funding for housing-related support for vunerable people, including older tenants and home-owners, through such services as sheltered housing wardens, home improvement agencies and handyperson schemes.

In June 2007, the Government's strategy for the Supporting People programme, "Independence and Opportunity:Our Strategy for Supporting People"outlined four aims

• Keeping people that need services at the heart of the programme;
• Enchancing partnership with the Third Sector;
• Delivering in the new local government landscape;and
• Increasing efficency and reducing bureaucracy

The strategy set out what the Government would do to acheive it's aims and what it expected Supporting People commissioners and providers to do. Also in April this year funding for the Supporting People programme was changed so that Central Government no longer paid a ring-fenced grant to local authorities instead they are now able to spend this money according to their own local priorities.

The Committee is examining the extent to which the Government has delivered on these commitments and also the implications of the removal of the ring fence.The Committee is now taking oral evidence from a number of organisations, such as Age Concern/Help the Aged, who previously made written submissions. You can look at all the evidence before the committee and follow it's progress through the following weblink:

http://www.parliament.uk/parliamentary_committees/clg/clgsphome.cfm