15 March 2007 - Review of Independent Living Funds published today
The Review of the Independent Living Funds, by consultants Melanie Henwood and Bob Hudson,is published today as part of the Government’s regular review of non-departmental public bodies. The Independent Living Funds enable severely disabled people to live independently in their own homes.
The Review recommends that the Funds should remain in their present form until 2009/10, but in the longer term that there should be a smooth transition towards full integration within a system of personalised budgets. The Government will carefully consider the report’s recommendations and will publish its response to the report by the summer recess.
Anne McGuire, Minister for Disabled People, said:
“While I welcome this thorough and professional report which will inform discussions of the future of social care, my priority is to ensure that the people who use the funds will continue to be supported to live independently. I recognise the ground-breaking role which Independent Living Funds have played over the past 19 years, and how important their services are to the disabled people who use them to live independently. The Independent Living Funds have made a tremendous difference to thousands of disabled people, giving them independence and control over their own lives. And I am grateful to the Trustees for their continuing hard work and commitment.”
Notes for editors
- Review of Independent Living Funds is published on the DWP website: www.dwp.gov.uk/publications/dwp/2007/independentliving/ It is also published on the Independent Living Funds website: www.ilf.org.uk. A paper copy of the report is available from Jane Cocking, Department for Work and Pensions, The Adelphi, 1-11 John Adam Street, London WC2N 6HT, or by telephone from the ILF on 0845 601 8815.
- The Department for Work
and Pensions commissioned the report in June 2006.
- Melanie Henwood has been running her own independent consultancy since 1991 specialising in policy analysis of key issues in health and social care. Melanie is a lay board member of the General Social Care Council. Bob Hudson is Visiting Professor of Partnership Studies at the University of Durham and has established his own consultancy.
- The Independent Living Funds are United Kingdom wide trust funds which provide financial assistance to people with high support needs to enable them to live independently. The Independent Living (1993) Fund is open to new applicants and currently supports over 12, 500 people. The Independent Living (Extension) Fund supports those people who received help from the original Independent Living Fund which closed in 1993. The Extension Fund supports over 5,200 people.
- The Funds are created and funded by the Department for Work and Pensions and Department for Social Development (Northern Ireland) but operating at arms length from Government. They are financed by cash limited grants-in-aid and managed by a Board of Trustees appointed by the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions. The Trustees have discretion about whom they help within the framework and eligibility conditions contained within the Trust Deeds.
- The last ILF “Quinquennial Review” report was produced in 2001. This was approved by Anne McGuire on 8 March 2007.
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