Disabled people and their representative organisations have long campaigned for the re-opening of the Independent Living Fund (ILF), and in September 2023 we received the news that it would re-open in Scotland next year.
The First Minister Humza Yousaf, MSP, announced in his first Programme for Government in September 2023, that the fund would re-open on a phased basis, with an initial £9 million in the financial year 2024 to 2025.
This will enable up to 1,000 additional disabled people with the most complex needs to access the support they need and deserve to live independent lives.
To prepare for re-opening for applications in April 2024, ILF Scotland staff are working with disabled people, their representative organisations, the Scottish Government and other key stakeholders on the co-production of the re-opened fund.
We established a Co-Production Working Group who met for the first time in October 2023. This advisory group includes disabled people, carers, disabled people's organisations (DPOs) and representatives of ILF Scotland, the Scottish Government and health and social care statutory partners.
The Working Group is co-chaired by Iain MacAllister, Deputy Director, Scottish Government, Directorate for Social Care & NCS Development, and Peter Scott, Chief Executive of ILF Scotland.
The Group meet every two weeks to help develop the policies for the re-opened ILF. They considered the access principles of application, the relationship with social work, management of ILF awards and stakeholder engagement.
In February 2024, the group offered their recommendations on the policies for the re-opened ILF to the Minister for Social Care, Mental Wellbeing and Sport. In March 2024, the Minister approved those recommendations.
The Co-Production Working Group will continue to meet during 2024 to 2025 to consider any further developments and improvements to the re-opened ILF.
The Co-Production Working Group consists of:
It is made up of:
