The UK Faculty of Public Health (FPH), the professional body for the UK’s public health workforce, welcomes the announcement of the public health grant 2020/21.
The delay of the budget has caused uncertainty for local authorities, and now that the allocations have been published, the public health workforce can continue to tackle the COVID-19 crisis with certainty of their budgets for 2020/21.
The allocation has been set at £3.279bn, an increase of £145 million on the public health grant 2019/20.
Though an increase, further funding will be needed to reverse years of cuts to public health services and FPH has long called for a £1 billion increase for the public health budget. This will allow our members to restore public health services and protect and improve the health of the public, both during and beyond the current COVID-19 crisis.
Professor Maggie Rae, FPH President said “We are pleased to see the announcement of the public health grant and to see an increase in funding for local authorities to deliver essential public health services for their populations.
COVID-19 now dominates the public health agenda, and certainty over budget allocations allows our members, the public health workforce, to continue their tireless work to protect and improve the health of the public.
Though we are pleased to see an increase in the budget allocation, more funding will be needed to reverse cuts to public health services – FPH have called for a £1 billion increase in public health funding, and join with the Association of Directors of Public Health in calling for a multi-year settlement for public health.
As well as responding to COVID-19 we want to ensure that other health and wellbeing services that are vital to the health of the public, such as smoking cessation services, remain as effective as possible.”
