£421 million funding to tackle drug and alcohol misuse

Between April 2020 and March 2021, 275,896 adults were in contact with drug and alcohol services, an increase from 270,705 compared to the previous year. With this figure rising, the Government have taken action, giving Local Authorities across England an extra £421 million funding in order to improve the effectiveness of drug and alcohol addiction treatment and recovery plans.

Extra Government funding will create 50,000 high quality places for individuals in need of drug and alcohol treatment. The funding will enable authorities to recruit a bigger workforce to help provide support to vulnerable individual’s, giving them the best possible chance to help face their issues and lead them to recovery. As well as this, the funding will also allow authorities to enhance the quality of the treatment they provide to ensure that it is individualised to suit the service user’s needs, making sure that their recovery plan is personalised and appropriate for them. The funding will be prioritised for areas with the highest need, based on the rate of drug and alcohol related deaths, as well as taking into account the number of individuals requiring treatment from drug and alcohol abuse, click here to see the full list of allocations.

Professor Dame Carol Black, independent adviser to the government on combating drug misuse, has said:

“This continued investment is very welcome and will be crucial in supporting local authorities and their partners to increase the capacity and quality of their services for people with drug and alcohol dependence, in line with the key recommendations of my independent review of drugs.

This will help realise the ambitions of the government’s10-year drug strategy to deliver a world-class treatment and recovery system, reduce drug use and drug-related crime, and save lives.”

In December 2021, the Government published their strategy plan for the investment. The plan outlines their ambition to greatly increase the capacity of treatment and recovery services in order to tackle the rising demand. More effective treatment options will also become available for a wide range of substances, including cocaine, ecstasy, and prescription drugs. It has been estimated that throughout the first 3 years of this strategy, the investment will prevent almost 1,000 drug and alcohol related deaths.

Health and Social Care Secretary Steve Barclay has said:

“Drug misuse has a massive cost to society - more than 3,000 people died as a result of drug misuse in 2021.

This investment in treatment and recovery services is crucial to provide people with high-quality support, with services such as expanding access to life-saving overdose medicines and outreach to young people at risk of drug misuse already helping to reduce harm and improve recovery.

This funding will help us build a much-improved treatment and recovery service, which will continue to save lives, improve the health and wellbeing of people across the country, and reduce pressure on the NHS by diverting people from addiction into recovery.”

The funding will help change the lives of vulnerable individuals, allowing everyone to have access to the support that they may need to help with their recovery. Whilst also making our streets safer, it is also hoped that the criminal offence rate will be lowered as individuals will begiven the help that they need to live fulfilling lives without feeling the need to commit crime.

If you are facing issues with alcohol or drugs, there is always someone who you can talk to:

Alcoholics Anonymous – Helps with support for anyone facing alcohol issues                                                                            

T: 0800 9177 650                                                                                                                                                            

E: help@aamail.org                                                                                                                                                                      

W: alcoholics-anonymous.org.uk       

Alcohol Change UK – Supporting individuals who are worried about how much alcohol they are drinking

T: 020 3907 8480                                                                                                                                                                

E: contact@alcoholchange.org.uk                                                                                                                                  

W: alcoholchange.org.uk

‍FRANK – Confidential advice and information about drugs, their effects, and the law                                      

T: 0300 123 6600                                                                                                                                                        

W: talktofrank.com                                                                                                

Release – Offers confidential advice about drugs and the law

T: 020 7324 2989                                                                                                                                                                    

E: ask@release.org.uk                                                                                                                                    

W: release.org.uk