15 March 2010 – ILF announces priorities for 2010-11
The Independent Living Fund (ILF) will support thousands of disabled people in two priority groups using an increased budget during 2010-11.
The announcement made today confirms the ongoing commitment to support over 21,000 existing ILF users, enabling them to employ personal assistance to achieve their independent living aspirations.
In making the announcement, ILF Chief Executive, Patrick Boyle said, “Despite the current challenging economic climate the ILF has an increased budget for 2010-11. This enables us to continue our support and deliver a high quality service to our 21,000 users across the UK.”
The ILF has already agreed some improvements to its policies to ensure consistency of its support and increase flexibility for its existing users. These new flexibilities include offering ILF users the choice of averaging their payments across the whole year, and continuing payments to them for up to 28 days if they have to go into hospital or residential care.
The ILF will also play an active role in the upcoming Right to Control Trailblazers led by the Office for Disability Issues, and will offer the opportunity to take part in the Right to Control to its existing users and any new applicants in Trailblazer areas.
Patrick Boyle said, "Support to our existing users accounts for 93% of our available funding year on year. During the year ahead our first priority is to maintain this support, whilst also developing a more flexible service, and focusing on the outcomes our users seek to achieve in line with the personalisation agenda."
However, the ILF has also seen a greater demand for its services, as well as an increase in the cost of care packages for the people it supports. In response to this challenge and to manage within its allocated budget, the ILF has today announced further plans for 2010-11, to be implemented from 1 May 2010.
The ILF Trust Deed identifies applicants in paid work of at least 16 hours per week as its second priority group, and new applications will be accepted solely from this priority group.
Also, the ILF will also increase the threshold sum that local authorities are required to meet in order to access ILF funding, and for increases to existing users care packages from £320 to £340 per week.
Patrick Boyle explains, "We will continue to receive new applications from people in work. However, our plan is to consult with our local authority partners in the coming months to identify other priority groups for the ILF.
"This could include expanding our definition of work, looking towards helping more young people in transition, and supporting those people where our help will have a broader social impact."
If you wish to contribute to the discussion surrounding new priorities, please contact the ILF:
Write to Independent Living Fund, Equinox House, Island Business Quarter, City Link, Nottingham NG2 4LA.
Email policy.development@ilf.org.uk.
For any general enquiries, please call 0115 945 0879.
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Notes to editors
For more information contact David Smith, Head of Communications, on 0115 9450730 or 07779 083493.
- The Independent Living Fund (ILF) is an Executive Non-Departmental Public Body of the Department for Work and Pensions. It awards payments to severely disabled people to support the cost of their personal assistance, enabling them to live fully inclusive independent lives in their communities. To get payments from the ILF you have to meet certain conditions.
- The ILF provides financial assistance under the terms of a single publicly financed discretionary Trust Deed – The Independent Living Fund (2006), governed by a Board of nine Trustees.
- The ILF currently provides financial support to over 21,000 disabled people in the UK, and has supported over 46,000 disabled people during the last 21 years.
- The plans for prioritising funding are based on an allocated budget of £348m for Great Britain and £11.2m for Northern Ireland.
- A full Equality Impact Assessment has been undertaken in relation to the decisions made by the ILF Trustees to prioritise applications from 1 May 2010.
- The Right to Control is about disabled people having control over the support they need to go about their daily lives. Disabled people who are eligible for support will be told how much money is available to spend on that support. They will be able to decide how the money is spent, by saying what service they want and/or being given money to buy the support themselves. They will have the choice to have as much, or as little, direct control over the money as they are comfortable with. It will be up to each individual to decide what is right for them. You can find out more about the Right to Control from the Office for Disability Issues