Policy 38 - Suspension and Reinstatement of an ILF Scotland Award

Version: 4
Last Amended: 8 July 2026
Next Review Date: 31 March 2027

1. Suspension Policy

ILF Scotland will on occasion be required to suspend a Recipient Award, normally in any of the following circumstances:

• The Recipient is admitted to hospital or to a nursing or residential care setting for a period of more than one calendar month. See 1.1, below.
• The Health & Social Care Partnership / Trust no longer meets the Threshold Sum. See 1.3, below.
• The Recipient is no longer resident and present in Scotland / Northern Ireland.
• Temporary breakdown of care / support package.
• Other circumstances where no ILF payment is requested, for example, the Recipient takes a respite break and ILF is not required or non-availability of Personal Assistants due to planned holidays.
• Failure to comply with Award Management responsibilities.
• The Recipient or the Award Manager on their behalf asks ILF Scotland to suspend the award because the funding and support is no longer required.

1.1 Hospital Admission

If a Recipient continues to receive ongoing support from their Personal Assistant or Care Provider while they are in a hospital/care setting, ILF Scotland can continue to pay the award for a period of up to six months. Any decision to extend the payment beyond six months will be at the discretion of ILF Scotland’s Management Team.

For further information about hospital stays, please contact the ILF Scotland Casework team to discuss by telephoning 0300 200 2022 or by emailing enquiries@ilf.scot.

1.2 Threshold Sum

To remain eligible to receive ILF Scotland funding, the relevant HSCP / HSCT must be providing services or funding to the Recipient to a value at least equal to a Threshold Sum. If a HSCP / HSCT reduces its funding below the Threshold Sum, the Recipient will no longer be eligible for ILF Scotland funding and ILF Scotland may then suspend the award. Please see Policy 24 - Statutory Input to ILF Scotland Funding for more information.

Where ILF Scotland suspends an award, this can be for a specific period or indefinitely. ILF Scotland will not automatically close an award other than on the death of a Recipient.

ILF Scotland will retain awards in suspension for an initial period of five years and will review these in accordance with its existing two-year review cycle. ILF Scotland’s Management Team will consider any request to extend the period of suspension beyond five years.

2. Policy for Reinstating Awards

Entitlement to ILF Scotland funding can remain indefinitely / for the lifetime of the person and ILF Scotland can reinstate its funding at any time, providing the Recipient’s is eligible according to ILF Scotland’s Policy 24 - Statutory Input to ILF Scotland Funding and Policy 36 - Short-Term Care.

ILF Scotland should, if satisfied that the Recipient is eligible, reinstate the award and, subject to being provided with satisfactory evidence, will have the discretion to backdate the award to an appropriate date. When required, ILF Scotland will arrange for a joint review with Social Work to ensure that the appropriate package of care / support is in place to meet the needs of the Recipient.

3. Cross References

Policy 24 - Statutory Input to ILF Scotland Funding

Policy 36 - Short Term Care | ILF Scotland

4. Version History

Version 1: 1 July 2015
Version 2: 25 April 2021
Version 3: 12 March 2024