1 April 2010 – ILF makes decision on priority groups clear
The Independent Living Fund (ILF) has further explained its decision to prioritise applications from 1 May 2010.
The ILF announced on 15 March that it would use the existing priority groups identified in its Trust Deed to manage within available funding. This will mean protecting the 21,000 severely disabled people currently receiving ILF support, and accepting applications only from those people working 16 hours per week or more.
In a statement made today, ILF Chief Executive, Patrick Boyle, said, "We fully recognise the disappointment felt by those who had hoped shortly to seek ILF support. Of course, our trustees would have wished to find a way of continuing to accept new applications beyond 1 May from all the groups who could previously apply.
"But we are determined to protect our existing 21,000 users and we are fully committed to improve their quality of life. So, in order to stay within available resources we had to focus on the previously established core priorities that exist in our Trust Deed."
The ILF will consult with its local authority partners and others over the next few months to explore other groups it may be able to prioritise in future.
Commenting on the consultation, Patrick Boyle said, "Full and widespread consultation is underway, so that at some point hopefully not too far in the future, we can again open our doors to additional priority groups.
"We have been pleased that so many colleagues in local authorities and disabled people's organisations are already offering positive suggestions. Young people in transition seem to be a group especially deserving of the kind of independent living support we offer."
The ILF has a strong record in relation to consultation and co-production. Through a series of countrywide consultation events, the ILF enabled over 600 people to directly contribute to the design of the Right to Control and influence the Big Care Debate. They were also able to advise the ILF on the flexible payment arrangements it has introduced for its customers from today.
Patrick Boyle ended by saying, "I hope that anyone who holds a stake in the development of the ILF will help us, so that available funding can be directed to those people that need it most."
Ends
For more information contact David Smith, on 0115 9450730 or 07779 083493.
Notes to editors
- 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 ILF has an allocated budget of £348m for Great Britain and £11.2m for Northern Ireland for 2010-11.