Following sixteen successful pilot schemes tackling social problems around families with complex needs, the Government has announced the rollout of “Community Budgets” which will merge various sources of funding into one “local bank account”.

Deputy Prime Minister, Nick Clegg, also announced there would be four new pilots of Community Budget schemes. Of these, two areas will be selected to develop budgets at neighbourhood level, while a further two councils will pilot a plan that will see spending on local public services merged into a single budget.

In response to this, the DWP invited companies on the Employment Related Support Services Framework to tender for ESF funding to work with families with multiple problems, helping them overcome these and break the cycle of intergenerational worklessness.

Payment will be made mainly by results, on progress measures and job outcomes which move family members nearer to and into work and put families on the road to recovery. Bids must be made by 30th August, and a key element in their evaluation will be how well bidders have integrated partnership working with local authorities into their proposals.