Government ministers have claimed that the lives of more than 85,000 troubled families in England have been changed for the better thanks to a coalition programme.

The latest results show that intervention has ensured children are back in school instead of playing truant, crime has been cut, or an adult in the household has returned to work.

Communities Secretary Eric Pickles said the scheme was giving families the chance to "make something of themselves", while Treasury Chief Secretary Danny Alexander said it was "delivering real results".

The programme was announced in response to the 2011 riots in English cities, with David Cameron vowing to ensure the lives of 120,000 problem families were turned around by May 2015.

The latest figures show more than 99% of the families the Prime Minister pledged to support were being "actively worked with" under the payment-by-results scheme.

Some 85,303 had been classed as "turned around", with Bristol having turned around all 1,355 of its target families, Nottingham all 1,200 and Liverpool 1,987 of its 2,105.

Head of the troubled families programme Louise Casey said: "To have turned around the lives of over 85,000 troubled families - who have an average of nine serious problems each - in two-and-a-half years is a credit to the councils, the frontline staff and most of all to the families themselves.

"This programme works because it is joined up and it seeks to simplify things rather than make them more complicated.

"It focuses on whatever it takes to do what really matters: getting kids into school, the toughest families out of trouble with the police and adults into a position where they can find a job."

In March it was announced that up to 40,000 additional households would begin to be helped in this financial year in the highest-performing areas.

Mr Pickles said: "The troubled families programme demonstrates exactly what our long-term economic plan means for people.

"New opportunities for families to turn their lives around and make something of themselves; more economic security for local communities blighted by worklessness; and more economic stability for taxpayers, as we reduce the bills for social failure and get this country living within its means.

"It's a triple-win; an amazing programme; and we're going to extend its reach as far as possible."

Mr Alexander said: "I am proud that this programme is delivering real results, having helped turn around the lives of families by putting children back into school, cutting anti-social behaviour, and moving adults into work.

"It's great news that more than 85,000 troubled families in England have seen real, tangible improvements in their lives thanks to this programme, and that 99% of eligible families are now being actively worked with."

Shadow communities secretary Hilary Benn said: "Labour support councils in the work they are doing on this programme, but a majority of these families still have nobody in work and the Tory-led Government's failed Work Programme isn't helping them.

"Local councils taking a bigger role in helping people into a job and Labour's Jobs Guarantee would make a real difference."