Local authority round-up 6 March 2026
6th March, 2026
Our Local Authority round up provides brief summaries of topical information on a weekly basis, to keep you aware of the changes and updates relevant to you.
Health & Social Care
New bone scanners to help prevent fractures and cut waiting times
Tens of thousands of patients at risk of osteoporosis and other bone conditions will get faster access to vital bone scanners, as 20 new scanners are rolled out across England. These new machines will help diagnose fragile bones earlier.
The funding covers 6 additional scanners to expand capacity and 14 replacement machines to modernise outdated equipment with improved image quality for patients. 13 new scanners were announced last year, 10 of which are already in use and helping patients access treatment quicker. In 2025,16,000 extra DECA scans were delivered compared to in 2024.
These extra scanners will help many people but especially women. After menopause, women are at greater risk of osteoporosis and fractures linked to weak bones which can lead to a loss of independence, long hospital stays and a reduced quality of life. Earlier diagnosis will mean patients can begin medication sooner and make lifestyle changes to strengthen bones and reduce the risk of breaks.
For more information, please click here.
Funding boost for young people’s mental health services
Thousands more young people across England will be able to access the mental health support they need thanks to a £7 million funding boost for early support hubs.
Early support hubs are community-based services that provide drop-in mental health support for young people aged 11-25 with a range of needs, helping to prevent more severe mental illnesses without the need for a referral or doctor’s appointment.
The investment will allow the 24 existing hubs to expand services in local communities, delivering 10,000 additional mental health and wellbeing interventions over the next 12 months. For example, this could include counselling, group work, therapeutic support and specialist advice.
Early support hubs play a vital role in communities as an NHS England report shows that in 2023, approximately 1 in 5 people aged 8 to 25 had a mental health disorder. Early support hubs are a step towards meeting these demands.
For more information, please click here.
Planning & Housing
£50 million investment into the fight to tackle homelessness
Councils and organisations helping to tackle homelessness and rough sleeping will receive £50 million worth of government investment, targeting people and places under the most pressure. This investment goes towards the government’s target to halve long-term rough sleeping by the end of this Parliament.
The fund is split between two major programmes. Firstly, £37 million for Ending Homelessness in Communities Fund will accelerate the work of voluntary, community and faith groups, who are often the first port of call for people in crisis. The fund will be used to support projects, staffing and building improvements to expand sector capacity, strengthen community networks and develop long-term, trauma-informed approaches to ending rough sleeping.
A further fund of £15 million for Long-Term Rough Sleeping Innovation Programme will target the 28 areas facing the greatest long term rough sleeping pressures, including London. This funding will help partners and local authorities find smarter, more joined-up ways to get people off the streets for good, from complex case co-ordination to peer mentoring and stronger links between services.
For more information, please click here.
Upcoming events
Procurement and public law update
Our in-person Procurement and Public Law Update covers the new procurement rules and their increased transparency requirements.
This seminar will look at what those changes have meant in practice since both the new Act and the new NHS regime came into force. We will give practical tips on how to manage procurements now and how to deal with the risks of challenge when the timescales are so tight.
Register here to join this free session with procurement law experts Tim Care and Matthew Brady.
Please note that this briefing is designed to be informative, not advisory and represents our understanding of English law and practice as at the date indicated. We would always recommend that you should seek specific guidance on any particular legal issue.
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