An NHS service providing therapies and support to survivors, bereaved families and the wider community affected by the Grenfell Tower fire faces a funding cut from next year, Kensington and Chelsea councillors have been told. The Grenfell Health and Wellbeing Service currently offers treatment and group support, but NHS England is reducing its funding, and no service has been confirmed beyond 2029, a council meeting heard.
NHS England committed £50m to the community's recovery in 2018, which funded the service, after the fire in June 2017 that killed 72 people. The NHS West and North London Integrated Care Board (ICB), which funds the service, has bid for £1.8m to continue it, the Local Democracy Reporting Service said.
Lucy Knight, Kensington and Chelsea council's lead member for adult social care and public health, said no-one should be left worrying about whether their care would still be there. She said the NHS accepted the period ahead could be especially hard for the community, and now was not the time to change the model of care to fit a smaller budget unless it could still meet people's needs.
A cross-party motion asked the council to tell the ICB and local NHS trust that survivors and the bereaved remained a top priority, and to urge NHS England to confirm long-term funding.
The ICB said no decisions had been made and existing support remained in place. Its priority was making sure future arrangements met the needs of those affected, and local people were helping to shape proposals, which it aimed to finalise as soon as possible.
In a September update, the service said support would not simply stop. NHS England said it supported efforts to ensure people affected could continue to get the care they needed.
Representatives of the ICB and Central and North West London NHS Foundation Trust, which runs the service, will attend a council scrutiny meeting in December. The Crown Prosecution Service has said it will make charging decisions before the 10th anniversary on 14 June 2027.
Analysis
Why This Matters
- The Grenfell Health and Wellbeing Service is a vital resource for a community still deeply affected by the 2017 tragedy, and a funding cut could leave vulnerable people without support.
- The timing of the potential cut is sensitive, as the CPS is expected to announce charging decisions ahead of the 10th anniversary in June 2027, a period likely to be especially difficult for survivors and bereaved families.
- The decision sets a precedent for how long-term NHS commitments to disaster-affected communities are honoured, amid broader pressures on NHS budgets.
Background
The Grenfell Tower fire on 14 June 2017 killed 72 people, making it one of the UK's deadliest residential fires. In response, NHS England committed £50 million in 2018 to fund community recovery, which established the Grenfell Health and Wellbeing Service offering therapy and support groups. The service is run by Central and North West London NHS Foundation Trust and funded by NHS North West London ICB. Nine years after the fire, legal proceedings are still ongoing, with the CPS yet to announce charging decisions.
Key Perspectives
Kensington and Chelsea council lead member Lucy Knight: said no-one should be left worrying about whether their care would still be there, and that now was not the time to change the model of care to fit a smaller budget unless it could still meet people's needs.
NHS North West London ICB: said no decisions had been made, existing support remained in place, and its priority was making sure future arrangements met the needs of those affected, with local people helping to shape proposals.
Grenfell Health and Wellbeing Service (September update): said support would not simply stop.
NHS England: said it supported efforts to ensure people affected could continue to get the care they needed.
What to Watch
- The council scrutiny meeting in December, where ICB and NHS trust representatives are expected to attend and provide further detail on future funding.
- Whether the ICB's bid for £1.8m is successful and for how long it would cover the service.
- The CPS charging decisions, expected before 14 June 2027, which may increase demand for support services.
Checked
12 claims in this story checked against 1 source: 12 supported.
Show each claim
- SupportedThe headline and summary say the service faces a funding cut from next year and no service is confirmed beyond 2029.BBC News: “An NHS service supporting people affected by the Grenfell Tower fire faces a funding cut from next year, Kensington and Chelsea councillors have heard. ... NHS England is reducing its funding and no service has been confirmed beyond 2029, a council meeting was told.”
- SupportedThe service offers therapies and group support to survivors, bereaved families and the wider community affected by the fire.BBC News: “The Grenfell Health and Wellbeing Service offers therapies and groups to survivors, bereaved families and the wider community.”
- SupportedNHS England is reducing the service’s funding from next year.BBC News: “An NHS service supporting people affected by the Grenfell Tower fire faces a funding cut from next year, Kensington and Chelsea councillors have heard. ... NHS England is reducing its funding”
- SupportedNHS England committed £50m to the community’s recovery in 2018, and that funded the service.BBC News: “NHS England committed £50m to the community's recovery in 2018, which funded the service.”
- SupportedThe Grenfell Tower fire in June 2017 killed 72 people.BBC News: “The fire in June 2017 killed 72 people.”
- SupportedThe ICB has bid for £1.8m to continue the service, according to the Local Democracy Reporting Service.BBC News: “The ICB has bid for £1.8m to continue it, the Local Democracy Reporting Service said.”
- SupportedLucy Knight, the council’s lead member for adult social care and public health, said no-one should be left worrying about whether their care would still be there.BBC News: “Lucy Knight, the Kensington and Chelsea council's lead member for adult social care and public health, said "no-one should be left worrying" about whether their care would still be there.”
- SupportedKnight said the NHS accepted the period ahead could be especially hard for the community and that care should not be changed to fit a smaller budget unless it could still meet people’s needs.BBC News: “She said the NHS accepted the period ahead could be especially hard for the community, and now was not the time to change the model of care to fit a smaller budget unless it could still meet people's needs.”
- SupportedA cross-party motion asked the council to tell the ICB and local NHS trust survivors and the bereaved remained a top priority, and to urge NHS England to confirm long-term funding.BBC News: “A cross-party motion asked the council to tell the ICB and local NHS trust that survivors and the bereaved remained a top priority, and to urge NHS England to confirm long-term funding.”
- SupportedThe ICB said no decisions had been made, existing support remained in place, and its priority was to ensure future arrangements met people’s needs; local people were helping shape proposals it aimed to finalise as soon as possible.BBC News: “The ICB ... said no decisions had been made and existing support remained in place. ... It said local people were helping to shape proposals, which it aimed to finalise as soon as possible.”
- SupportedIn a September update, the service said support would not simply stop.BBC News: “In a September update, the service said support would "not simply stop".”
- SupportedNHS England said it supported efforts to ensure affected people could continue to get the care they needed.BBC News: “NHS England said it supported efforts to ensure people affected could continue to get the care they needed.”
