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Every suicide that takes place is a tragedy and it’s everybody’s business to work together to tackle this tragic loss of life and support all of those affected by it.

“These figures highlight the increased demand pressures on councils as they strive to provide homelessness support and underlines the urgent need for these services to be adequately funded.

“With councils still facing a funding gap of more than £3 billion in 2019/20, it is disappointing that the Chancellor has missed the opportunity to use today’s Spring Statement to provide further desperately-needed funding for our under-pressure local services this year.

"This report rightly recognises that local government is at the forefront of providing facilities, supporting both formal and informal opportunities for activities, and accessible to all members of the community."

Cllr Kevin Bentley comments on the government’s announcement that local pilots and £1.5 billion of funding a year would be promised in a new UK Shared Prosperity Fund

Responding to announcements about adult social care and public health in today’s Spending Review, Cllr Ian Hudspeth, Chairman of the Local Government Association’s Community Wellbeing Board, said: “The coronavirus crisis has demonstrated the crucial value of councils’ adult social care and public health services. “Extra funding for children’s and adult social care will help address some short-term pressures, but we need a clear plan on the future of care and support and how we pay for it, which recognises low pay in the adult social care workforce and finally delivers parity of esteem with

“Councils have done an incredible job getting people sleeping rough off the streets and have accommodated more than 29,000 people who have faced homelessness since the start of the coronavirus pandemic."

Cllr Sir Richard Leese, Chair of the Local Government Association’s City Regions board, comments on the Government’s new £2.9 billion Restart programme to support the long term unemployed back into employment.

Commenting on the Government’s new Levelling Up Fund announced in today’s Spending Review, Cllr Kevin Bentley, Chair of the Local Government Association’s People and Places Board said:

“With council housing waiting lists set to potentially nearly double next year, now is the time to let councils embark on an ambitious post-pandemic building boom of 100,000 social homes for rent a year, which as well as reducing homelessness would also deliver a £14.5 billion boost to the economy.”