The Independent Living Fund (ILF)

Who Are We? And What Do We Do?

The Independent Living Fund (ILF) is funded by central government.

The Independent Living Funds is open to applications from severely disabled people who meet its eligibility criteria and are permanent residents of the United Kingdom. 

The Independent Living Funds were set up as a national resource dedicated to the financial support of disabled people to enable them to choose to live in the community rather than in residential care.

For information about making an application, click here.

What is the ILF?

The Independent Living Fund (ILF) is open to applications from severely disabled people who meet its eligibility criteria and are permanent residents of the United Kingdom.

The ILF is an Executive Non-Departmental Public Body of the Department for Work and Pensions, and was set up as a national resource dedicated to the financial support of disabled people.  

It provides discretionary cash payments directly to disabled people so they can purchase care from an agency or pay the wages of a privately employed Personal Assistant (PA). This support enables disabled people to choose to live in the community rather than in residential care

Awards are made in the form of regular four-weekly payments to individuals, which are used to buy personal care and domestic assistance. Recipients may use care agencies or employ personal assistants, but may not employ relatives who live in the same house.

The ILF was originally established in 1988, intended to run for 5 years.  When the original Fund closed in 1993, two new Funds were created.  The Extension Fund was created to administer the payments of people who applied between 1988 and March 1993 and who continued to receive awards under the old rules.  The 1993 Fund was created with slightly different rules - mainly, the condition that Social Services should provide a weekly financial contribution - to take on new applications.  By 2006, there were over 18,000 people using the ILF across the UK. 

The two Funds were united by the Independent Living Fund (2006) Trust Deed as of 1 October 2007.  The ILF continues to fund existing users and new applicants.

An independent board of Trustees has responsibility for overseeing the governance of the organisation.  The board meet on a monthly basis and they are responsible for developing the organisation's aims, objectives and goals in association with the Chief Executive and other senior executives.  They are also responsible for ensuring sound management of the ILF's resources and expenditure.

The ILF is based in Nottingham.  Around 160 staff help administer the ILF under the direction of a Chief Executive and a board of directors.  There are also over 90 self-employed regionally based ILF assessors who visit our users on a regular basis.

The Independent Living 1993 Fund is a trust set up and financed by central government. Its aim is to support long term, independent living for severely disabled people, by helping them to live at home instead of in residential care.

HOW DOES THE FUND WORK?

The Fund works closely with Local Authority Social Services Departments, helping to pay towards large community care packages, ie those costing more than £200 a week. The Fund's contribution takes the form of regular payments made directly to the disabled person.

WHO CAN APPLY?

To get help you must meet all the following criteria:­-

• Receive at least £200 per week, or equivalent value, of services or direct payments from your Social Services Depart­ment

• Be at least 16 and under 66 years old .
• Receive the highest rate care component of Disability Living Allowance (DLA) .
• Expect to live in the community for the next six months.
• Have capital of less than £8000 (excluding the property you live in). This amount includes any capital your partner may have.

The Fund can pay up to a maximum of £375 per week on top of Social Services input and your assessed contribution, (subject to the combined SSD and ILF input not exceeding £625pw).

You do not have to receive Income Support to qualify for an award from the Fund, but your income, (and that of your partner if you have one), will be considered in any assessment.

In all cases we would expect you to contribute, half of your care component of DLA, and all of your Severe Disability Premium, if paid to you with your Income Support, towards your care costs.

HOW CAN I APPLY?

Application forms are available from your Local Authority Social Services Department or directly from the Fund. Section One of the form is for you to complete and Section Two is for your social worker to complete. Both sections must be completed before the form is returned to us.

Before you apply, please ensure that you meet the Fund's eligibility criteria. Also discuss with your social worker the extra care you need.

WHAT HAPPENS AFTER I APPLY?

If all the eligibility criteria appear to be met, we will arrange for one of our social workers to visit you, with your Local Authority social worker.

You will be asked what your current care needs are, and what your future care needs will be. We will also need to know your financial circumstances. Our social worker will complete a report recommending the level of care we should consider. Based upon that recommendation the Fund will decide the financial assistance that it can offer. If successful you will receive a letter offering you an award.

When you have arranged your care you will need to tell us whom you have employed before we can commence payments.

If you are not successful we will write explaining why not. For more information or an application form, please telephone us on, 0115 942 8191/2, and ask for General Enquiries.

HOW CAN I USE A 1993 FUND AWARD?

An award from the Fund must be used, in full, to pay the wages for somebody to provide you with personal and domestic care. Funding cannot be used for any other purpose such as equipment, adaptations, heating bills, transport costs.

You can choose whom you want to employ, but we cannot provide funding for you to employ a relative who lives with you. You will need to let us have each of your assistant’s names, addresses, National Insurance numbers and the amounts they are paid per week. If you choose to use an agency you will need to give the agency's name, address and the amount they are paid each week.

Independent Living (1993) Fund
PO Box 183
Nottingham
NG8 3RD

Tel: (0115) 942 8191 or (0115) 942 8192
Fax: (0115) 929 3156
e-mail: funds@ilf.org.uk

http://www.ilf.org.uk/

Taken from: ILF 001 Issue 2/93/2/95/3/98/2/00

The above information may have changed since we received the pamphlet the above information was taken from.