Councils have said they are being left in limbo due to a lack of clarity from the Government over public health funding for the next year.
The Local Government Association (LGA), which represents councils across England, is calling on the Government to publish the public health grant funding allocations, which councils will receive from April. It said child health visiting, programmes to tackle obesity and drug and alcohol treatment all risk being cut back or closed unless plans can be made.
It warned “time is running out” for councils to set budgets and renew contracts relating to public health. According to the LGA, public health funding grants to councils have fallen by more than £1 billion in real terms from 2015/16 to 2021/22.
