Short breaks funding

There has been an unprecedented amount of investment in short breaks since 2008. Unfortunately this funding is now under threat.

Under the Aiming High for Disabled Children programme launched by the previous Government, £280m was allocated to local authorities in England between 2008-11 to significantly increase the range and number of short breaks they provide to disabled children and their families.

Successful campaigning by EDCM supporters led the Coalition Government to announce in December 2010 that between 2011/12 and 2014/15 local authorities in England would be given £800m over four years to fund short breaks for disabled children.

The money is available to local authorities through the Early Intervention Grant (EIG). The EIG delivers funding to local authorities for a wide range of early intervention services for children and young people. It is non-ringfenced - this means that local authorities can chose how much of their EIG they spend on services, including short breaks. However, the Government indicated that they wanted local authorities to prioritise short breaks services. This was the biggest ever investment in short breaks for disabled children.

In addition, to help improve the way short breaks are provided, the Government announced £40million of capital investment in 2011-12 which will help to support innovative local services.

However, since then the Department for Education has held back £150m from EIG funds in 2013/14 and 2014/15 and has abolished the EIG, incorporating its funds into new assessments at a level equivalent to a 1% cut in 2013/14 and 2% in 2014/15. Both these cuts have put short breaks funding at risk.