PROBLEM families in Malvern have had their lives turned around by a government project, according to a new report.

The Troubled Families programme has helped 75 of the “hardest-to-help” households in the Malvern Hills district by getting adults into work and children back to school.

It has cost £5,493 on average to support each “troubled” family – defined as those involved in youth crime, anti-social behaviour and truanting and who cost the public purse large sums in out-of-work benefits and other costs.

But the latest report on the government initiative claims the taxpayer has saved £12,000 for each family turned around.

Worcestershire County Council runs the scheme locally, calling it Stronger Families, and is paid up to £4,000 on a payment-by-result basis for each family successfully supported.

Councillor Liz Eyre, cabinet member for children and families at the local authority, said: "I am really pleased with the progress so far that has seen our support for families achieve real benefits including improving school attendance, reducing anti-social behaviour and returning adults to employment.

"We are now at the early stages of the second phase of the programme, which has additional criteria which will be even more helpful.

"This sees the county council and partners building on this work with more families and continuing to deliver support under this programme for the next 12 months."

Communities Secretary Eric Pickles added: “The Troubled Families programme has been a triumph and I am proud that we will deliver the Prime Minister’s ambition to turn around the lives of 120,000 of this country’s hardest to help families.

“It 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.”

In Worcestershire 900 families have been identified as “troubled” and in-need of support from the scheme.

By the end of February 698 households had been turned around, meaning truanting children had attended school for a year, youth anti-social behaviour had been significantly cut or an adult had moved off benefits and into work for three months or more.

Seventy-five of these successes were in the Malvern Hills District.

Across England 105,671 "complex" families have been helped by the £448 million, three-year scheme, and a target of 120,000 has been set for the end of parliament.