PCS calls for ILF to stay open following court judgement

The Public and Commercial Services Union (PCS) today (6/11/13) welcomed the decision by the Court of Appeal to quash the Government’s decision to close the Independent Living Fund.

PCS is the recognised Trade Union for the staff who work at the ILF office in Nottingham. We have been campaigning against the proposed closure since December 2012 when the decision was announced.  We have worked alongside disability groups like DPAC and others to highlight the work of the fund and point out how over 19,000 disabled people would lose out when the fund closes in 2015.

This is a great victory for disabled people.

PCS believes the actions are part of a wider assault on social security and particularly disabled people, from a government that has found billions to slash corporation tax and to cut the top rate of income tax for the richest 1%.

PCS General Secretary Mark Serwotka said “We welcome this court victory, for the disabled people who have campaigned against it and for the staff who work there doing a tremendous public service. We now call on the Government to reverse its decision and to maintain the ILF, reopen applications which were closed in 2010, and stop its assault on disabled people.”