Analysis for the Labour Party by the House of Commons Library has
shown that, from 2016/17 – 2019/20, local authority drug and
alcohol misuse services faced real-terms budget cuts of 15 per
cent.
In 2016/17 the total local authority spend on drug and alcohol
misuse services was £762.37 million, falling to £689.76 million
in 2019/20. Taken in real terms, this is equivalent to a 15 per
cent cut over four years.
Just ten local authorities have been able to increase drug and
alcohol misuse spending in real terms since 2016, with all other
local authorities experiencing a real term budget cut. Four local
authorities (South Tyneside, Wiltshire, Staffordshire, and
Medway) all saw real-terms cuts of over 40 per cent.
In 2020, a record 7,423 people in England and Wales died from
diseases that were a direct consequence of alcohol; and a
record4,561 people died from causes related to drug poisoning in
England and Wales.
Local authority public health budgets have faced years of cuts,
forcing local authorities to make incredibly difficult decisions
about the services they provide.
, Labour’s Shadow Health Secretary, said:
“The UK’s tragically high Covid death tally brings into sharp
focus the importance of improving people’s health. But years of
Tory cuts to vital public health services have seen sickness
increase and health inequalities widen.
“It’s unacceptable for public health services that tackle alcohol
and drug addiction are left so weakened because of deep cuts when
we know that they can cause huge harm and death.
“We need a new settlement for public health services, a clear
target to reduce inequalities and action to minimise harm and
help prevent so many dying from addiction.’”
Ends
Notes to editors:
o Social care: Substance misuse support
o Treatment for drug misuse in adults
o Treatment for alcohol misuse in adults
o Preventing and reducing harm from drug misuse in adults
o Preventing and reducing harm from alcohol misuse in adults
o Specialist drug and alcohol misuse services for children and
young people
Net expenditure on drug and alcohol misuse services by English
local authorities, 2016/17 – 2019/20
|
Cash prices £ millions
|
|
Real terms 2019/20 prices £millions
|
|
2016/17
|
2017/18
|
2018/19
|
2019/20
|
% change 2016/17 to 2019/20
|
|
2016/17
|
2017/18
|
2018/19
|
2019/20
|
% change 2016/17 to 2019/20
|
|
Drug and alcohol misuse services
|
762.37
|
716.80
|
693.89
|
689.76
|
-9.5%
|
|
811.72
|
749.98
|
709.53
|
689.76
|
-15.0%
|
