• The government has set out the public health allocations and monetary conditions for local authorities to improve health in local populations.
• It sets out the allocations of the local government public health grant for 2020/21 and the conditions that will apply to that grant.
  
  

Responding to the public health grant allocations, Andrew Ridley, chair of the Community Network, hosted by NHS Providers and the NHS Confederation, said:

“In the midst of the coronavirus outbreak, the importance of a well-resourced public health function has never been more evident.

In the midst of the coronavirus outbreak, the importance of a well-resourced public health function has never been more evident.

Andrew Ridley    Chief Executive

“A significant proportion of community health services are funded by councils’ public health grant and this announcement will give welcome clarity to them, although it leaves little opportunity to adjust plans two weeks before the new financial year begins.

“It will take time to establish exactly what these allocations will mean for individual providers and commissioners of public health and community services. This includes whether the adjustment to cover estimated additional agenda for change pay rises for eligible staff working in NHS services commissioned by local authorities will indeed be sufficient.”