Government to Scrap Independent Living Fund for Severely Disabled

[jaysay]

Originally Posted by kestrelx

But surely scrapping the Independent Living Fund is going to mean that ultimately it will cost more money for the NHS! There are some people claiming this that are living life, going out to events etc. Removing this Fund will stop them living a relatively normal life.

See this story appeared in the Mirror, If its removed and I say If, do honestly believe these unfortunate people would be ignored

[Taggy]

They have apparently said they will safeguard the current users of the funds until the end of this parliament, but the fund will close in 2015!

News - DWP

It doesn't say in their official statement as yet that it will close in 2015, although i know 2 people who have just received letters from the ILF stating that it will close in 2015!

It seems that they are saying that this Fund costing £330 million is unsustainable, and that all care in future will be administered through local authorities. Well even under the recent "good" times local authorities relied upon the ILF to provide funding to Severely Disabled people, who needed more care & finance, than the authority could provide. So please can someone explain how this will be anything other than disastrous, for these vunerable people, to be totally put in the hands of the local authorities, when they are facing the massive cuts just announced!

Its amazing & disgracefull that a Government who can ring fence and indeed increase the foreign aid budget by over 50% over this parliament, from £8.4 Billion this year - £12.6 Billion in 2014, which Cameron describes as not a lot in real terms, yet describes £330 milion for helping its own countries Severely Disabled & Vunerable people as being "Unsustainable"

My bloods beginning to boil!

Best Regards - Taggy

[Guinness]

IMO the ILF has been pretty much usurped by the social services since its inception.

The ILF was supposed to be given as an extra to what social services provided under their budget. And for the first 12 months or so it was. Problem was that social workers were then told to initiate funding reviews and claw back money by reducing their contributions towards support and/or care once ILF had been granted, or by underfunding new claimants knowing that ILF would 'top up', meaning that recipients of ILF were rarely much better off in real terms anyway.

Smoke and mirrors, robbing Peter to pay Paul. And this was done under the last government, as usual to hide real figures.

Problem now is when the condemn mob remove it in 2015, the social services are highly unlikely to initiate funding reviews to up their contributions back to what they were, or should have been paying before the ILF top up.

In fact it will be most unlikely if rumours I have heard are true, neither local authorities or county councils will be footing the bill in 2015. There is a growing swell of opinion that the NHS has been ducking its responsibilities with regard to the severe, mental and learning disabled and that they should come under the wing of the NHS, paid for by continuing healthcare funding. And we all know how cash strapped the NHS is.

Only losers are the disabled who have the singular distinction of being royally screwed by ALL THREE PARTIES!

[reader]

disgusting what would they do if they had any body inthe family or friends who was severly disabled they would be raving mad if it was happening to them not during much vat on clothes in the new year everything, food ect ect going up we will have to start a soup kitchen up or starve with no food no jobs rich get richer poor get poorer

[accyman]

Originally Posted by reader

disgusting what would they do if they had any body inthe family or friends who was severly disabled they would be raving mad if it was happening to them not during much vat on clothes in the new year everything, food ect ect going up we will have to start a soup kitchen up or starve with no food no jobs rich get richer poor get poorer

ahh but they are plotitions they would put care fees down as expenses which insidently they have been caught fiddling yet again which shows they never stopped fiddling they just were more carefull but not carefull enough

Amyas Morse, the head of the National Audit Office, said he could not confirm the validity of £13.9 million of claims because he was unable to inspect supporting documentation.
The cash was claimed for and paid out mainly in the period between the eruption of the expenses scandal in May 2009 and this year's general election.

http://uk.news.yahoo.com/21/20101215...f-6323e80.html

you can bet that yet again no one will be charged with theft or fraud

[RHFOY]

Originally Posted by Taggy

My thoughts exactly Less, i've emailed Graham to see if he can bring any pressure to bear, & he's started by writing to the Minister for Work & Pensions, to get a response from him. Ive also emailed 6 major charities to see if they will be campaigning againt this, but more in hope than expectation i'll have to admit!

Where is this pledge to look after the most vunerable now?

Best Regards - Taggy

just a thought why dont you start your own national blog and campaign against this disgrace???

[RHFOY]

Originally Posted by accyman

ahh but they are plotitions they would put care fees down as expenses which insidently they have been caught fiddling yet again which shows they never stopped fiddling they just were more carefull but not carefull enough



MPs claimed expenses without proof - Yahoo! News UK

you can bet that yet again no one will be charged with theft or fraud

again spot on sadly... its been going on for years and it will never change, they all need to pay back the last 40years !! its only since the internet and freedom of info- act that this as come to light.. these people think all disabled people are from working class family, and have no empathy towards them imho... when i meet the so called rich/educated/or the people( who never grew up or were taught at the university of street wise, were we all studied common sense.)... i love to remInd them that only 1 in 4 very succesfull people came from a university background !!!!, and then i wait for the response... then when they look at me in a disbelieving way, i educate them further about why the working hungry non spoon fed class are more succesfull and have far greater COMPASSION FOR ALL CLASSES !!!

[Taggy]

Originally Posted by RHFOY

just a thought why dont you start your own national blog and campaign against this disgrace???

I'm certainly thinking of doing something along those lines, at the moment i'm accessing several Disability/Carer's websites & forums to see what feedback there is, before deciding the best approach. The Charities are very slow at responding which isnt unusual i'm afraid, but is obviously worse at this time of year to, which is exactly why its been announced just before Christmas whilst people are concerned with other things!

Best Regards - Taggy