Ministers are locked in a wrangle over who should pick up the bill for a scheme caring for tens of thousands of vulnerable people which has run more than £1 billion over budget.

Social care minister Steven Ladyman is demanding that separate funding be found for people with learning disabilities and mental health problems if they are excluded from the Supporting People programme under a current Whitehall review.

Government Response: Office of the Deputy Prime Minister

A spokesman for the Office of the Deputy Prime Minister said: "The Supporting People programme provides housing related support for over one million vulnerable people, including older people, those with learning disabilities, people who are homeless, who have fled domestic violence or who have come out of hospital or prison. It currently provides around 250,000 units of support, compared to around 100,000 four years ago.

 

"The programme went live on April 1, 2003 and brought together nine different funding streams into one single pot. In its first year the pot was £1.8 billion, and the government is sustaining this at £1.8 billion in 2004/05.