Team photo of the VRP
Merseyside is set to benefit from a £4.7million investment to strengthen efforts to prevent and tackle serious violence, after the Government confirmed funding for the Merseyside Violence Reduction Partnership (MVRP) for 2026/27.
The funding announcement secures another year of intensive, evidence-based work to prevent violence before it occurs — including mentoring, targeted youth support and diversionary activities, trauma‑informed training, and community‑based interventions.
The major investment of £4,700,210, also includes continued funding for the Serious Violence Duty, which brings partners together to plan and deliver activity to reduce serious violence, and continued support for Merseyside’s Young Futures Panels, focused on better protecting vulnerable young people.
The MVRP brings together police, fire and rescue, youth offending services, education, health, probation and voluntary sector partners to prevent violence through early intervention and long‑term support. Since it’s formation in 2020, the team has delivered initiatives and interventions that have supported nearly 185,000 young people.
Using a public health approach, the MVRP runs programmes supporting pregnant women and vulnerable new parents, right through to intensive interventions for young person on the edge of criminality, all focused on reducing harm and improving life choices for young people and their families.
The funding has been welcomed by Merseyside’s Police and Crime Commissioner, Emily Spurrell, who has made preventing harm a priority in her Police and Crime Plan for Merseyside and who oversees the work of the MVRP.
“This £4.7m investment is a significant boost for Merseyside and will strengthen the work already underway to prevent serious violence and protect vulnerable young people.
“There is no single way to prevent violence, but by acting early and supporting those who are most in need, our Violence Reduction Partnership is making a real difference across our region. The team has supported tens of thousands of young people, helping them to access opportunities and support, giving them a brighter start in life and in turn creating safer, stronger communities.
“It’s great the government recognises the value and importance of getting upstream to prevent violence before it takes places, and the confirmation of funding means we can keep building on our progress so far and continue delivering interventions that work. To deliver lasting change, this must work must be long-term and sustainable, so we will continue to push for this funding to be confirmed for future years.”Merseyside’s Police and Crime Commissioner, Emily Spurrell
“We are thrilled to receive confirmation of funding for the year ahead so we can continue our essential work preventing violence.
“This investment provides vital stability for our programmes – from early intervention in schools to targeted support for young people most at risk of being drawn into violence.
“We firmly believe that violence isn’t inevitable. It is preventable and this money will enable us to continue working closely with partners and communities to tackle the root causes of violence and deliver lasting change.”
MVRP Director, Superintendent Georgie Garvey
Alongside confirmation of the funding, the Home Office has outlined changes aimed at making the programme more efficient and impactful, including streamlining grants, simplifying reporting, increasing flexibility for local delivery and maintaining a strong focus on supporting children at highest risk.
The Home Office now intends to work with the 20 Violence Reduction Units across England and Wales throughout 2026/27 to shape the future national model for violence reduction, with further details on the long‑term funding position expected later this year.