The
Independent Living Fund (ILF) is an NDPB (Arms Length Body) of the
DWP. Its offices are based in Nottingham which employs just over 130
staff. ILF exists to provide additional support in the form of direct
payments to severely disabled people so that they have the choice and control
that they need to live independent lives in the community. For a great
many ILF users, funding makes the difference between living independently
in their own homes or living in residential care. It makes the difference
between doing what they want, when they want to, as opposed to doing what
they're told. For example; an ILF user, through the choice and control
that ILF funding allows, may choose to go to bed at mid-night rather than being
put to bed at 7.00 pm.
Minister for Disabled People, Maria Miller, permanently closed the ILF to new applications from May 2010 with a commitment to fund remaining users through the ILF to 2015 and to consult on how their support needs will be met from April 2015. The consultation period started on 12 July and will run to 10 October. The governments stated aim is to integrate ILF users into 'mainstream' social care by transferring responsibility for their support to local authorities.
PCS Regional Secretary Andrew Lloyd said, “The consequences of such a decision will be disastrous for the majority of ILF users. Local authorities have seen massive cuts to their budgets under the current spending review. Many disabled people were seeing cuts to the services and support provided by their local authority even before this. They know that this decision will mean an end to the independence that they currently have and which they have fought for decades to achieve.”
Minister for Disabled People, Maria Miller, permanently closed the ILF to new applications from May 2010 with a commitment to fund remaining users through the ILF to 2015 and to consult on how their support needs will be met from April 2015. The consultation period started on 12 July and will run to 10 October. The governments stated aim is to integrate ILF users into 'mainstream' social care by transferring responsibility for their support to local authorities.
PCS Regional Secretary Andrew Lloyd said, “The consequences of such a decision will be disastrous for the majority of ILF users. Local authorities have seen massive cuts to their budgets under the current spending review. Many disabled people were seeing cuts to the services and support provided by their local authority even before this. They know that this decision will mean an end to the independence that they currently have and which they have fought for decades to achieve.”
Midlands
TUC Regional Secretary Rob Johnston said, “Disabled people are already facing
a barrage of cuts to their services and supports. These proposed changes
represent yet another blow to both disabled people and to the dedicated public
servants who provide this important service. What’s more, the proposals
will potentially hinder, rather than help, disabled people to live independent
lives which would be a very regressive, and depressing, step”.
As
well as the services being lost nationally, it will mean that 130 jobs also are
lost from the public sector and Nottingham.
It
is important that we use the consultation to make well argued contributions to
the debate and not let the government off the hook by not registering our
opposition. Contributions can be made to the Consultation via ilf.consultation@dwp.gsi.gov.uk
Additionally
there is an on line petition to oppose the closure http://epetitions.direct.gov.uk/petitions/24368
No comments:
Post a Comment