The Supporting People Programme was introduced in April 2003. It is a new policy for funding and supporting vulnerable people with their housing support needs in order to help maintain them at home.

Supporting People will for the first time introduce a unified system for the planning, commissioning, funding and regulation of housing support services to vulnerable people.

Supporting People aims to ensure that housing support services are developed and delivered in a targeted way and are tailored to meet the specific needs of those it seeks to support.

From 31st July 2006, a dedicated team will no longer administer the Supporting People programme. Responsibility for implementation of the programme, particularly the Service Review process, will lie with the designated care section.