Nearly 600 Cheshire East “troubled” families targeted by Government

Almost 600 troubled families in Cheshire East are to be targeted by the Government as part of a new David Cameron initiative.

The Government wants to transform the lives of 120,000 troubled families under the new £450million project.

It’s believed so-called troubled families cost the taxpayer an estimated £9billion per year, equivalent to £75,000 per family.

And latest figures show there are 585 of these families in the Cheshire East region.

A new Troubled Families team at the Department for Communities and Local Government has been established to drive forward the strategy.

The £450million means the Government will offer up to 40 per cent of the cost of dealing with these families to local authorities – but on a payment-by-results basis when they and their partners achieve success with families.

They want to see children back into school, reduction in criminal and anti-social behaviour, parents back to work.

Mr Cameron said: “Our heart tells us we can’t just stand by while people live these lives and cause others so much misery.

“Our head tells us we can’t afford to keep footing the monumental bills for social failure. So we have got to take action to turn troubled families around.

“This immense task will take new ways of thinking, committed local action, flexibility and perseverance. But I know too that it’s a task we can’t shirk. People in troubled families aren’t worthless or pre-programmed to fail.”

Communities Secretary Eric Pickles added: “If you live near one you know very well who they are. And local services like police, health and schools also know who they are, because they spend a disproportionate amount of time and money dealing with them.

“These families are both troubled and causing trouble. We want to get to the bottom of their problems and resolve them – for their own good, and for the good of their communities.”