2016-17 and 2017-18 Ring-Fenced Public Health Grants to Local Authorities

Statement

My hon. friend the Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State for Health (Jane Ellison) has made the following Written Statement:

I am today publishing the public health allocations to local authorities in England for 2016-17 along with indicative allocations for 2017-18.

Through the public health grant, we are investing £3.39 billion for public health in 2016-17 and £3.30 billion in 2017-18. I believe this is a fair settlement, which will ensure the long-term sustainability of public health services. We will be investing over £16 billion over the next five years for public health, in addition to what the NHS spends on preventative interventions such as immunisation and screening.

The indicative allocation for 2017-18 will help local authorities to develop and extend their planning, including initiatives better delivered across more than one year. During 2016 the government plans to consult on options to fund local authorities’ public health spending from retained business rates receipts.

We are asking local authorities to adjust the way they report their spending from the grant on a number of subjects in 2016-17, and for the first time are including public mental health as a separate heading in spending returns.

Full details of the public health grants to local authorities can be found on GOV.UK and is attached. This information will be communicated to local authorities in a Local Authority Circular.