Rachel Reeves on Closure of Independent Living Fund

            RACHEL REEVES MP

UNIT 10, ARMLEY PARK COURT,

STANNINGLEY ROAD

LEEDS

LS12 2AE

[T] 0113 263 0411

[E] rachel.reeves.mp@parliament.uk

                                                                                                           [W] www.rachelreeves.net

Dear Mr Bull,

Thank you for contacting me regarding the Government's plans to abolish the Independent Living Fund (ILF).

I appreciate the importance of supporting disabled people to live independently and in their local community and I know that many people value and rely on the funding they receive from the ILF. Indeed, 19,000 people currently receive an average of £300 per week through the ILF and many disabled people and their families will be extremely worried by the Government's decision to no longer accept new ILF applicants, and to close the Fund entirely in 2015. After this date, local authorities will be responsible for meeting the care and support needs of current ILF users.

As I am sure you are aware, the Government held a public consultation on how to fund and support independent living for disabled people beyond the closure of the ILF in 2015. This consultation closed on 12th October 2012 and a large number of respondents and their carers expressed strong opposition to the closure of the ILF. The response from local authorities also showed concern about the level of funding that will be made available beyond 2015 to support current ILF users. It is vital that the Government listen to and address the very serious concerns that have been expressed by disabled people, disability charities and local authorities about the closure of the ILF.  

These changes of course come on top of a Government programme of funding reductions to Local Government which has disproportionately targeted poorer areas and more vulnerable groups.

These cuts are having a real impact on the delivery of local services that are essential to helping disabled people live independently. Indeed, four in ten disabled adults are now failing to have their basic social care needs met and nearly half of all disabled adults say that services are not supporting them to live independently in their local community. 

I believe independent living is crucial to ensuring that disabled people have the same rights, choices and chances as any other citizen. As you may be aware, Labour tabled an amendment during the Committee Stage of the Care Bill which would have ensured this was the case, and would have included the concept of independent living in the duty on local authorities to promote an individual's well-being. I am disappointed that the Government voted against and defeated this amendment. 

Labour will continue to press the Government to explain how it will ensure that disabled people are supported to live independently in the community. In particular, we are calling on the Government to bring forward a detailed plan for how it will ensure that the money people received through the ILF will be used to promote independent living for disabled people, and not simply swallowed up by local authority budgets. We are also calling on Government to ensure the needs of existing claimants will be protected - and Ministers should explain how the successful elements of the ILF (such as a national, portable system) will be sustained.

I hope this answer is helpful in explaining Labour’s concerns about the announcement. Thank you once again for writing to me about this very important matter.

Yours sincerely,

Rachel Reeves

Member of Parliament for Leeds West  

Nick Clegg on closure of Independent Living Fund

Thank you for getting in touch with Nick Clegg MP regarding the Government’s decision to close the Independent Living Fund. I am replying on his behalf. The Government recognises the valuable the role the Independent Living Fund has played in the lives of its users and the depth of concern about its closure. However, the Government does not think that continuing a separate system of support operating through a discretionary trust, outside the mainstream adult social care system, is the right approach. The key features that have contributed to the Independent Living Fund’s success - particularly the choice and control it has given disabled people over how their care and support is managed - are now provided, or are very soon to be provided, within the mainstream care and support system. Continuing with the present arrangements, which benefit a relatively small number of disabled people, would fail to take account of the significant developments over the last 20 years in the way disabled people are supported to live independent lives. This decision has been driven by a clear need for reform, not a desire to make savings. Once the Independent Living Fund closes, both funding and responsibility for former users will be transferred from the DWP to Local Authorities in England, and the devolved administrations in Scotland and Wales. As announced in last year’s Spending Review, all these bodies will be fully funded to meet these additional costs. This transfer of responsibility does not mean that funding is being reduced; last year’s Spending Review announced that total amount of funding for 2015/16 would be £262m - the same amount that would have been allocated had responsibility remained with the DWP. We are also confident that recent and upcoming changes to adult social care mean that the main benefits of the Fund – the choice and control over care it has given people – will now be provided within the mainstream system. Thank you once again for getting in touch about this important issue. With best wishes, Rory Belcher Office of Nick Clegg MP

Govt Announces Closure of Independent Living Fund

The Government has announced that the Independent Living Fund will close on 30th June 2015 despite losing a Court of Appeal battle over this plan.

The following comes from 

The Department for Work and Pensions originally planned to abolish the fund on 31 March 2015, but was forced to review the move after the Court of Appeal ruled that it had failed to comply with its legal duty to promote equality when making the decision.

The fund provides cash payments to top-up local authority social care support to around 18,500 severely disabled people so they can live more independently.

This fund is ESSENTIAL to disabled people up and down the country -a lifeline for many and must be re-opened to new applicants.

The fund closing after the next general election gives us a window of opportunity.

This petition is to Nick Clegg and David Cameron and it is calling on them to not close the Independent Living Fund.

 *As the PM does not have a public email address, this petition will send email to offices of IDS*

Dear Sirs,

I write to you to express my extreme disgust that your Government has announced the closure of the Independent Living Fund in June 2015.

This fund is a lifeline to some of the most vulnerable in our society. For your Government to ignore the High Court decision and proceed with this closure reeks of punitive and out of touch politics that shows extreme disdain to the welfare of the most vulnerable.

You should be ashamed of your Government actions and I call on you to immediately cancel your Government's plans to axe the fundand open the fund to new applicants.

Regards

--
Paul Bull
paul4cowick@aol.com

Also, the fact that this fund will not end until after the next general election puts the onus on the Labour Party to save the fund if it is elected in 2015.

“This petition calls for the Labour Party to put forward their proposals to save and expand the fund at the earliest possible time and have this proposal in their 2015 manifesto. We need to make them understand how important this support is to sections of the disabled community.

Dear Rachel,

As you may be aware, the coalition Government has announced that the Independent Living Fund is to close on the 30 June 2015.

This fund is essential lifeline to many disabled people. It is cruel and vindictive to remove this support without an adequate replacement.

I call on you, as Shadow Minister for the DWP, and the Labour Party to put forward a proposal to save ILF and have this as a manifesto pledge for the 2015 election.

Thank you for your time on this matter.

Regards

--

Paul Bull

paul4cowick@aol.com