On 31 March, the Government published the targeted drug and alcohol treatment and recovery grant funding for local authorities in England for 2025-26.
Drug and alcohol addiction costs the country billions of pounds in additional health and criminal justice expenditure.
Dedicated investment in high-quality treatment and recovery services will reduce crime and save lives. This will benefit people who are experiencing drug and alcohol addiction, their families, and communities, many of whom are vulnerable with complex needs. Through access to individual placement and support employment support, we can help people to sustain their recovery and local employers to recruit from an untapped pool of talent.
This funding is an important component of our plan for change in health, through which we will build an NHS fit for the future, tackle the underlying drivers of ill health and health inequalities, and deliver three fundamental shifts: from hospital to community, from analogue to digital and from sickness to prevention.
It contributes to the safer streets mission by reducing crime and re-offending and funding services that continue to provide support for people who are sleeping rough who have a substance misuse problem. It also supports the opportunity mission by increasing support and early intervention for children and young people’s substance issues as well as reducing the adverse childhood experience of parental substance misuse.
Allocations will see £310 million go directly to councils to build on their vital work of improving outcomes for people who need treatment and recovery support.
Full details of the grant allocations to local authorities for 2025-26 can be found on
www.gov.uk. This information has been communicated to local authorities.
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