Families suffering problems such as drug and alcohol abuse, mental illness, poverty and anti-social behaviour, cost an estimated £9 billion a year in spending on the NHS, the police and social services. This Government believes it is time for leadership at the top, action in councils and results on the ground.
The Prime Minister announced plans to radically transform the lives of the country’s most troubled families, making almost £450 million available in a new, determined, cross-Government drive to turn around 120,000 of these families by the end of this Parliament.
A network of 'trouble-shooters' will have responsibility for locating and co-ordinating help for families facing these multiple challenges such as addiction, crime, poor health and unemployment.
David Cameron said: "We need a social recovery in Britain every bit as much as we need an economic one.
So while the Government’s immediate duty is to deal with the budget deficit, my mission in politics — the thing I am really passionate about — is fixing the responsibility deficit, building a stronger society, in which more people understand their obligations, and more take control over their own lives and actions."