Scheme to help 745 Plymouth families has helped just 20
A FLAGSHIP government project to help up to 745 of Plymouth's most troubled households has so far turned around the lives of just 20, it has emerged.
But ministers insist the intervention scheme aimed at "problem families" remains on track.
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Eric Pickles
The project was unveiled by Prime Minister David Cameron at the end of 2011 as he vowed to "get to grips" with the country's most difficult households.
Within its first year, the Government said Plymouth City Council had identified all 745 of the city's most difficult families in need of help, of which 146 had received "intensive interventions" to tackle truancy, youth crime, anti-social behaviour and unemployment.
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In January, the local authority reported it had turned around the lives of 20 families, ensuring children regularly attend school and are not committing crime, and that adults are in work.
None of the 1,270 troublesome households in Cornwall, or 1,370 in Devon, were shown to have been "turned around".
The progress update for the three-year programme came as the Government announced 150 Jobcentre Plus advisers would now work with councils to help get people into jobs.
This would include providing practical support in skills such as CV writing and interview techniques, as well as putting families in contact with local employers.
Troubled households are estimated to cost the taxpayer £75,000 every year in terms of child protection, and dealing with crime and anti-social behaviour.
In Plymouth alone this would land the public purse with a potential bill of nearly £56million.
Across the country there are estimated to be 120,000 chaotic households, costing taxpayers £9billion a year.
Of these, 62,000 families had been identified for assistance, and one in six – 23,000 – were receiving help.
Councils reported they had turned around the lives of a total of 1,675 troubled families.
Hailing the results, Tory Communities Secretary Eric Pickles said: "The Troubled Families programme is on track, changing families for the better and reducing their impact on the communities around them.
"This programme is getting to grips with some of the hardest to help families in the country and in doing so will help bring down the costs they incur to the taxpayer and the damage they do to communities.
"But by including a real push towards employment for troubled families we will also help give a sense of purpose and aspiration to people who for too long have been allowed to fail by the state."
Work and Pensions Secretary Iain Duncan Smith added: "There are thousands of individuals and families in the UK living troubled lives blighted by crime, worklessness, and truancy. Helping them get and keep a job can be vital in turning their lives around."
17 Comments
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by Lashius
Friday, March 08 2013, 4:05AM
“everytime I see a picture of eric pickles I want to throw up, the man has the looks and attitude of jabba the hutt, his politics are vile.”
by CharlieDodd
Friday, March 08 2013, 12:49AM
“...'The local authority turned around the lives of 20 families, ensuring children regularly attend school and are not committing crime, and that adults are in work'...
Spoilsports”
by jannersontour
Thursday, March 07 2013, 2:33PM
“make it 21 and my street would improve 100%.”
by whinger7643
Thursday, March 07 2013, 2:32PM
“Have nothing between your ears, or be to idle to use what you have got, this is typical of this highly publicised wasteful tory hype, close the old folks homes, cut down on help for the truly needy, at the same time as pouring our much needed cash down the political drain, roll on the election.”
by josdave
Thursday, March 07 2013, 2:18PM
“Paddy it is not wrong to do good but it is morally wrong to spend so much time and money on offenders and very little, if any, on the victims of these misfits. The so-called do gooders are directly responsible for very little in the way of punishment being handed down by the courts for fear of offending someone and that is why the term is used in a derogatory context.”
by Plukie2
Thursday, March 07 2013, 2:09PM
“I hate it when people presume I'm dim because I use a well known phrase.”
by PaddyGoo
Thursday, March 07 2013, 12:54PM
“I love it when dim people use the term "do gooder" as if it's wrong to do good.
I expect they would rather people were "do badders".”
by timplymouth
Thursday, March 07 2013, 12:38PM
“20 families turned around is still worth something, although it doesn't say how much this program costs.”
by Stokedave
Thursday, March 07 2013, 12:38PM
“Some very good points being made here about wasting money/resources. Would be interested to know, if anyone can tell me, what the Coalition Government has done with all the money they have borrowed in the last two and half years (more than the previous Labour Government borrowed during its 3 full terms in office)!”
by Plukie2
Thursday, March 07 2013, 12:26PM
“When are these people going to stop helping the ones that don't deserve it and give help to the ones that NEED it? There is far too much money spent on criminals "he/she had a tough upbringing" and anti-social behviour, while there are genuine people that either need the benefits or are working that struggle to live. These do gooders are only out for one thing, the glory and the expenses.”