Andy Higgins - Chair
Martha Shortreed
Chloe McKee
Gordon McKee
Chris Mercer
Justina Oguguo – joined meeting at 13:35 Joan Turner – joined meeting at 14:00
ILF Scotland Staff
Harvey Tilley
Lee House
Linda Scott
Karen Burnett
Emma O’Neill
Deborah Kenneway
Danielle Dunlop
Lindsay Murdoch
Jim Elder-Woodward
Peter Scott
Catherine Symington
Andy Higgins welcomed everyone to the meeting.
Everyone agreed that Lee would record the meeting.
People can keep some of their ILF funds to use if they need – up to one week of funding. People asked what sort of things they could use this for. Peter and Jim are on the PA Programme Group – they will discuss this there and talk about it at the next Advisory Group meeting.
Lee will share the presentation from Finbarr Fitzpatrick to the Group. (Done)
There were no additional things that they group needed to talk about.
Harvey told the group that ILF Scotland re-opened the fund in April 2024.
There have been 26 applications to the fund so far.
He explained how people could apply to the fund.
Local Authorities Social Work departments have to apply on behalf of people then an ILF assessor will visit their home.
If funding is agreed, ILF Scotland will pay that to the person.
To apply to the re-opened fund, people must receive at least £800 in social care funding from social work. This is called the threshold sum.
Linda said that the Co-Production Working Group will be looking at whether there are other ways people might be able to access the fund.
They will also talk about the possibility of counting the amount of unpaid care into the threshold sum.
The group will look at other differences between the existing and the re-opened fund like people being able to apply even if they have savings. Or whether people should pay something towards the support the funding pays for and also consider the age of people who can apply to the fund.
Linda will keep the advisory group up to date on any decisions.
Chris Mercer agreed that it would be helpful if the whole fund is working with the same policy and rules.
Martha Shortreed said she is concerned that if ILF Scotland stops asking people to pay something towards their support – a charge, then the local authority will then start charging.
Linda told the group that ILF Scotland is aware of this and they are looking at the situation to make sure people don’t lose any money.
Andy asked Linda if ILF Scotland keep a note of the number of times they stop someone’s charge?
Linda said that records are kept and that people normally ask to stop paying charges after review visits.
Linda advised that stopping these charges for everybody is not being considered at this time. The Scottish Government plans to stop social care charging for everyone at the end of March 2026.
Gordon McKee told the group he feels that we should keep asking the Scottish Government for the removal of these charges.
Linda said that the policies for the re-opened fund have mostly stayed the same.
There was a slight change to 8 policies about award payments.
Policy 38 Suspensions has been updated and can now be found on the ILF website.
The change is that if a recipient is in hospital for more than 28 days, ILF Scotland can still pay the award if the person is being supported by their Personal Assistant or care provider.
If someone moves into residential care their award will be suspended but not closed. This means that if they return home the funding will start up again.
ILF Scotland is still discussing the maximum amount that it can pay out in an award with the Scottish Government.
Website updates
o A new report about how ILF Scotland will make sure it does everything it can to meet equality duties for 2024 to 2026.
o The new corporate parenting plan 2024 to 2027. This sets out how ILF Scotland will meet is duties.
o The Charter for Involvement progress against actions. This talks about how ILF Scotland will involve people who get funding in making decisions.
The Advisory and Stakeholder group members in Scotland and Northern Ireland met to talk about the Charter actions and other priorities for 2024 to 2025. Karen Burnett will circulate a note from this meeting.
Gordon asked how we could make members of the public more aware of the role of a Personal Assistant, maybe through a media campaign.
Linda confirmed this was noted and will be discussed at the next joint meeting.
Linda advised the group that a report on the difference ILF funding makes to people, called the Social Return on Investment, is now on the website.
Friday 30 August 11 am to 1 pm
Copyright images © Photosymbols. Prepared by Disability Equality Scotland
