The Supporting People programme is a government initiative that provides a robust framework to promote, develop and increase the opportunities available to vulnerable people to improve their quality of life through the provision of support services.

This enables them to have greater independence and control in making informed decisions and lifestyle choices.

Supporting People sits firmly within the modernisation agendas of local government and health and takes account of related initiatives that are concerned with improving people's quality of life. It can help with improving people's health and well-being, helps with combating social exclusion, and can complement initiatives concerned with reducing crime.

Supporting People gives local authorities responsibility for funding, planning, reviewing and commissioning support services that can help local authorities, local health boards and the national probation service deliver some of their local and national strategic priorities. It can also complement other local strategies, which promote rehabilitation, intermediate care and improvements in the economic, social or environmental well-being of local communities.

Supporting People is a working partnership between local government, health, social care, probation, support providers and, most importantly, service users. It specifically promotes the development of housing-related support services, which are needs-led, cost-effective, robustly funded and planned using a co-ordinated multi-agency approach.

Supporting People services must work in partnership with key stakeholders and take an integrated holistic approach to enabling people to remain in a more independent living situation, avoiding admission to institutional settings such as hospital, or at the extreme, prison or a life on the streets. Equally it can help people in such institutional settings to move to a cost effective alternative safe, supported and stable home in the wider community.

Supporting People can assist with and contribute to the joint planning, funding and commissioning of services for:

• Women seeking refuge from domestic abuse.
• People with learning disabilities or difficulties.
• People with mental health difficulties.
• People misusing alcohol.
• People misusing drugs.
• Refugees.
• People with a physical disability, including sensory impairment
• Young single homeless people and care leavers.
• Ex-offenders or people at risk of offending
• Homeless or potentially homeless people- who require support.
• People with a chronic illness- including AIDS, AIDS related conditions.
• Vulnerable single parents- who require support.
• Older people. Generic housing-related support services