Eric Pickles this week announced more funding will be put towards helping vulnerable families through the expansion of the Troubled Families programme. This is, of course, great news.

Local authorities have long been asking for greater flexibility in the payment-by-results programme arguing that the existing criteria did not meet local needs. Now they have what they were asking for – along with some new challenges.

In phase two of the programme, areas will be able to make their own decisions about which families to support and what constitutes being turned-around.