£5.45billion budget for local public health services

A £5.45 billion two-year ring-fenced public health budget for local authorities has been announced meaning that from April 2013, public health budgets will be protected for the first time, with local authorities taking the lead for improving the health of their local communities. This will help drive local efforts to improve health and wellbeing by tackling the wider determinants of poor health.

According to the Department of Health, providing a two-year budget will also give local authorities a clearer long-term understanding of their future funding as they prepare to take on their new responsibilities.

Building on advice from an independent expert group, the Advisory Committee on Resource Allocation (ACRA), funding is specifically targeted, for the first time, at those areas with the worst health outcomes.

The funding allocations support the Government’s vision of helping people live longer, healthier and more fulfilling lives and tackling inequalities in health.

In 2013/14 the total budget for local public health services will be just under £2.7billion. In 2014/15 the budget will be just under £2.8billion, with every local authority receiving an increase in funding.

To view the full details of the public health allocations visit www.dh.gov.uk/health/2013/01/ph-grants-las.