Almost 90 per cent of ‘troubled families’ in Brent have turned their lives around through a government scheme saving taxpayers almost £8.5million, figure show.

According to data released today by Communities Secretary Eric Pickles, 704 out of the 810 ‘complex’ households in the borough (87 per cent) have benefited from support provided as part of the Government’s Troubled Families programme.

The scheme helps ease children from identified families back into school and finds employment for the adults in employment in an effort to cut youth crime and anti-social behaviour.

Mr Pickles claims the £448m nationwide programme has saved taxpayers an estimated £1.2 billion in costs to deal with the families through other methods including the judicial system.

With the average saving per troubled family totalling £12,000 this amounts to just over £8.4m in Brent.

Mr Pickles said: “The Troubled Families programme has worked because it has been bold and unafraid of getting tough with those who need it most.

“It has also provided a long-term solution by tackling the root causes of the very complex problems these families face.

“This innovative approach has not only saved the taxpayer over a billion pounds but had life changing results for the families involved by giving them a hand up when they needed it most.”

Brent had the 10th highest number of troubled families in London as identified by the government last December.