Supporting Independence Programme

The Supporting Independence Programme aims to make a real difference to the lives of people living in Kent's most disadvantaged communities.

We can help people to lift themselves out of dependency and into independence, employment and more fulfilling lives.

Find out how we have already made a difference, in our publication Whose Benefit?.

We are working with our partners across the public and voluntary sectors to support the following groups of people:

• school leavers with low educational attainment
• adult and young offenders
• young people in care or leaving care
• lone and teenage parents
• people lacking basic life and social skills and who lack basic literacy or numeracy skills
• people with alcohol and/or substance addictions
• people with health problems, learning or physical disabilities or who are applying for low-level, long-term incapacity benefit
• transient or seasonal groups, including refugees, asylum seekers and the homeless
• the long-term unemployed
• vulnerable older people aged 75 plus

Research has shown that these groups of people are the most in danger of becoming trapped in the spiral of deprivation and who need assistance if they are to be helped back into more fulfilling lives. Read the full analysis report for each of the 10 groups.

Specific geographic areas in the county also need support. We have produced summaries for each of the districts in Kent that explain the extent of the problems faced by the people living our most disadvantaged communities.