June 2025
Since the Dame Carol Black Review in 2021, we’ve witnessed a long-overdue shift in how residential rehabilitation is perceived and funded. For the first time in years, rehab is being recognised as a vital component in the journey to recovery, especially for those facing the most complex and enduring challenges.
At Kenward Trust, where I’ve had the privilege of leading our transformation from financial uncertainty to award-winning recognition, we know just how life-changing residential recovery can be. Now, through my work as Chair of Choices Rehabs, I’m focused on ensuring that this progress isn’t temporary. It’s important our sector continues to have a strong, unified voice to also advocate, residential rehab as part of a wider continuum of care and part of a broader treatment system, all of which deserves funding and adequate support.
The Role of Rehab in Today’s Recovery Landscape.
Residential rehab is far more than a last resort. For many, it is the critical turning point that enables long-term, sustainable recovery. It offers:
- A structured, safe space away from environmental triggers
- 24/7 support from skilled professionals and a recovery community
- Time to address the underlying causes of addiction, including trauma
- A holistic path to rebuilding lives, not just stopping substance use
Responding to a More Complex Referral Landscape.
Today, we’re seeing increasingly complex referrals across our services. Many individuals arrive at rehab not only with substance dependency, but with:
- Significant mental health needs
- Housing instability
- Serious physical health complications
A particular concern is the growing number of under-30s presenting with ketamine addiction, which carries serious long-term risks, particularly to the bladder and kidneys. These cases require close, multi-disciplinary care that residential rehab is uniquely positioned to deliver.
Don’t Let This Progress Stall.
While the funding uplift following the review was welcome, it must not be viewed as a one-time solution. The road ahead requires:
- Sustained investment in residential treatment
- Clear recognition of rehab’s integral role within the wider system
- Commissioning decisions that prioritise complexity, outcomes, and ethics, not just cost
- A continued focus on trauma-informed, person-centred care
A Call to Stay Focused.
There is a real opportunity to reshape how we understand, and deliver, addiction recovery in the UK. But this depends on our continued collaboration, advocacy, and commitment to ethical, evidence-led support.
At Choices Rehabs, we are committed to being a strong voice for residential services, working alongside commissioners, providers, and policymakers to ensure rehab remains a valued, accessible part of the national response.
Let’s keep the momentum going. Lives depend on it.
Warm regards,
Penny Williams CEO, Kenward Trust, & Chair, Choices Rehabs.
Press Release
CHOICES REHABS SENDS OPEN LETTER TO CHANCELLOR CALLING FOR FAIR TREATMENT UNDER NATIONAL INSURANCE CHANGES
Choices Rehabs, a coalition of independent residential addiction rehabilitation providers across the UK, has written an open letter to the Chancellor in response to the recent National Insurance increase. The letter expresses concern about how the new policy will impact the sustainability of addiction treatment services, many of which are already operating with tight margins.
The letter, sent on behalf of Choices Group, commends the government’s funding commitments to social care and healthcare but requests that addiction rehabilitation providers be treated the same as the NHS and other public sector bodies when it comes to the National Insurance increase.
“While we fully understand the need for fiscal changes, we want to ensure that our ability to provide essential services is not compromised by this policy,” said a spokesperson for Choices Rehabs. “Our services support over 2,300 people each year, and without our intervention, many individuals would likely rely on the already overburdened NHS and public sector.”
As a group of real living wage employers, many of whom are charitable organisations, Choices Rehabs plays a critical role in helping people across the UK recover from addiction and rebuild their lives. However, the financial pressures caused by the National Insurance increase threaten the continuation of vital services.
“Addiction rehabilitation is already a sector that operates on very tight margins, and the new National Insurance changes place significant strain on what we can offer. We are asking the Chancellor to consider the essential role we play in the wider health and social care system and ensure that we are supported in the same way as public bodies,” the letter states.
Choices Rehabs hopes that the government will carefully consider this request and include addiction rehabilitation providers in discussions about the future of health and social care funding.
“We are eager to continue to be a part of the solution to the UK’s addiction crisis, and we hope that the government will recognise the valuable contribution we make,” the spokesperson added.
Choices Rehabs remains committed to supporting individuals on their recovery journeys and is urging the Chancellor to act to ensure these essential services are not lost due to financial constraints.
Press Release
CHOICES REHABS CALLS FOR GOVERNMENT ACTION TO FULFILL RECOMMENDATIONS OF DAME CAROL BLACK REVIEW ON ADDICTION TREATMENT
Choices Rehabs, a group of independent residential detox and rehabilitation centres across the UK, has written to the new Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, urging renewed government commitment to the recommendations of the Dame Carol Black Review. The group represents organisations that together provide treatment for over 2,500 individuals annually, offering over 200,000 bed nights for those in need of residential addiction treatment.
The open letter expresses concern that despite positive steps taken by the previous government, the residential treatment sector continues to face significant underfunding, preventing it from expanding its capacity to meet the growing demand for services. Choices Rehabs calls for increased investment and a more urgent pace in implementing the recommendations of the Dame Carol Black Review, particularly those related to residential rehabilitation and detoxification services.
“Our group plays a critical role in supporting individuals on their journey to recovery, but we are constrained by funding challenges and a lack of sufficient investment in residential treatment,” said a spokesperson for Choices Rehabs. “Despite the encouraging steps outlined in the government’s previous drug strategy, the residential sector remains significantly underfunded, and the targets set by the Dame Carol Black Review remain unmet.”
The letter highlights that, although some additional funding has been provided, it has not been enough to meet the 2% target of drug and alcohol treatment referrals to residential rehabilitation, as recommended by the Review. The Choices Group stresses the importance of residential addiction treatment as a vital part of a blended approach to recovery, which also includes community-based programs.
“We see firsthand the transformative power of residential treatment, not only in helping individuals break free from addiction but also in reducing the burden on other sectors such as the criminal justice system and emergency healthcare services,” the letter states.
The group also emphasises the strain that inflation and the legacy of COVID-19 have placed on the sector, with many residential providers operating on minimal reserves while still delivering life-changing care.
As part of their continued efforts to engage with the government, Choices Rehabs has invited a representative from the Department of Health and Social Care to meet with them, discuss the implementation of the Dame Carol Black Review, and consider further support for the residential treatment sector.
“We would be happy to host a visit to one of our centres, where you can see firsthand the positive impact our work has on the lives of those in recovery,” the letter concludes.