News & events
Back to Drug Interventions Programme (DIP) E-bulletinsDIP E-bulletin - January 2009
Welcome to the January 2009 edition of the monthly e-bulletin for the Drug Interventions Programme.
Welfare Reform Bill
The Welfare Reform Bill has just been published and some provisions take forward the government’s commitments in the 2008 Drug Strategy.
The 2008 Drug Strategy – Drugs: protecting families and communities - committed the government to expand and improve drug treatment services and to refer drug misusers in receipt of benefits into treatment. The Welfare Reform Bill contains proposals to introduce a new benefit and sanction regime for heroin or crack cocaine users whose addiction is preventing them from finding work. The objectives are three-fold:
- to improve signposting for people on benefits into drug treatment
- to help people in treatment overcome their dependency and move into work
- to prevent people maintaining a drug-dependent lifestyle on benefits
The bill also introduces a new Treatment Allowance (new window) that a drug user will receive during the period that they are on the new drug and employment programme.
The allowance (new window) will be paid within the existing structures for job seekers and employment support but the conditions of entitlement will be varied and replaced with more appropriate conditions for supporting recovering drug users.
DIP factsheet on housing for drug users
The Drug Interventions Programme has published a new factsheet on housing drug users.
This factsheet explains how the programme is working with a range of partners on a joined-up housing strategy to provide vulnerable drug users with the support they need to sustain tenancies and stay in treatment, recognising that they are more likely to relapse and re-offend if they become homeless.
The information will be of interest to a wide range of stakeholders concerned with retaining DIP clients in treatment and with finding long-term solutions as part of a resettlement and rehabilitation package.
A full list of other factsheets and DIP materials is available online.
Tilley Awards 2009
Entries are being invited, from now until 30 April, for the Tilley Awards.
The annual awards scheme was set up by the Home Office in 1999 to encourage and share effective practice in implementing a problem-oriented policing (POP) approach to crime reduction. In more recent years the role of other agencies in the fight to reduce crime and tackle issues of community safety has been recognised and the ethos was renamed as problem-oriented partnership working.
The Tilley Awards celebrate local initiatives that can demonstrate three things:
- the use of a problem solving model
- partnership working
- measurable impact on crime reduction or community safety issues
The awards generate many excellent examples of what local partnerships are doing locally to address community safety issues by applying problem-solving methodologies. This year the awards also feature an additional award for projects that tackle violence against women.
There are no restrictions on the number of applications that can be submitted by individual agencies or organisations and stakeholders are encouraged to nominate initiatives from their local area.
Full guidance and details of the changes to this year’s processes (new window) are available on the Crime Reduction website.
Tougher stance to prevent under-age drinking
Retailers are being encouraged to seek proof of identity from anyone trying to buy alcohol if they look younger than 25.
The Retail of Alcohol Standards Group (RASG) changed their policy of Challenge 21 to Challenge 25 during a launch on 15 January. This means that anyone who appears to be under 25 will be asked to prove their age when attempting to purchase age-restricted goods. The acceptable forms of ID will remain as the PASS Card, a passport, or a photo driving licence.
The new threshold is designed not only to prevent under-18s buying alcohol, but also to assist efforts to combat proxy purchase – where young adults purchase alcohol on behalf of underage friends.
All retailers affiliated to the RASG will amend their store literature and posters to reflect the new approach. The Association of Convenience Stores (ACS) is promoting the change to their members and it will also receive publicity in the trade press. Although not compulsory, it is hoped Challenge 25 will become the new industry standard.
Find out more about Challenge 25 on the Wine and Spirit Trade Association website (new window).
Link to latest Key Messages
The latest Key Messages for DIP provide a core script to describe the various elements of the programme and the key points that should be understood about them. This can be a useful resource when preparing reports, briefings and other publications about DIP and it is reviewed and updated every two months. The December/January edition is currently available and includes updates to the section on drug testing.
