Ring-fenced Public Health Grant to Local Authorities: 2021-22

Today l am publishing the public health allocations to local authorities in England for 2021-22.

Funding for local government’s health responsibilities is an essential complement to our plans to invest strongly in both the NHS and social care, and an important element of our commitment to focus on prevention of ill health.

Through the public health grant and the pilot of 100% retained business rate funding for local authorities in Greater Manchester, we are spending £3.324 billion on local authority public health in 2021-22. This includes baselining of local government funding for pre-exposure prophylaxis for HIV.

The 2021-22 grant will continue to be subject to conditions, including a ring-fence requiring local authorities to use the grant exclusively for public health activity. This may include public health challenges arising directly or indirectly from covid-19.

In addition to this baseline funding for public health, we have already announced £80 million for local government funding of drug treatment as part of a wider crime package announced in January 2021, and over £70 million for weight management services through the NHS and local government.

Further, we are providing in total around £10 billion of support for local government in responding to covid-19.

Full details of the public health grants to local authorities can be found on www.gov.uk. This information will be communicated to local authorities in a Local Authority Circular.

Attachments can be viewed online at: http://www. parliament.uk/business/publications/written-questions-answers-statements/written-statement/Commons/2021-03-16/HCWS850.

[HCWS850]