ILF Scotland

2015 Fund Frequently Asked Questions

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We have split our 2015 Fund Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs) into four sections so you can find the answers to your questions quickly and easily.

Click on any of the below headings to be taken to questions on that subject.

Support to be a Good Employer

What hourly rate should I pay the Personal Assistants that I use ILF Scotland funding to employ?

Scotland
In Scotland, the Scottish Government has set a minimum hourly wage rate of £10.90 for Social Care Staff from 1st April 2023. ILF Scotland automatically updates the amount of your award any time that rate changes to ensure you can pay the Social Care Wage rate as a minimum. This includes any hours worked including overnight hours. See our Employer Support Information Note for more information.

Northern Ireland
The Northern Ireland Department of Health has asked us to provide ILF recipients who employ Personal Assistants with an award increase to enable them to pay an hourly rate of at least £10.42 per hour. This will not necessarily cover night hours.

Please note that this increase applies only to directly employed Personal Assistants and not to those who are self-employed.

Find out more information in our Employer Support Information Note.


Apart from paying minimum hourly rates, can ILF Scotland help me with other employment costs?

ILF Scotland, as part of its commitment to support recipients who employ Personal Assistants, to be good employers, will consider requests to increase awards to cover statutory employment costs. You can find more information on what we can provide in our Employer Support Information Note.


Will this include an increase in my award to cover the cost of paying pension auto enrolment for Personal Assistants?

Yes, we can do this. Please contact us on 0300 200 2022 to discuss or email us at enquiries@ILF.scot
Please read our Employer Support Information Note to find out what other, essential, employer costs we may cover. This includes: Employer Liability Insurance, Financial Management and Payroll Services, Statutory training for Personal Assistants e.g. Health & Safety, Redundancy Payments and Pay in Lieu of Notice, and in some cases, Employer National Insurance Contributions. Please note that in some circumstances, we can only make these additions to your award if it remains within the relevant maximum award so you should call us to discuss.


If I use my ILF award to pay a care provider to support me, can my award be increased to facilitate payment of the Social Care Wage or the National Minimum Wage rates?

We will not apply blanket uplifts for providers for increases to these rates, but we can increase rates on an individual basis. Your provider should notify you of any increase in hourly rates to allow them to meet the Social Care Wage / National Minimum Wage rate in writing. Award Managers should keep these letters and discuss them as part of their routine ILF Scotland Review Visit.

Alternatively, Award Managers can, at any time, ask ILF Scotland to apply an uplift to their rate by providing us with a copy of the increase letter. In considering any increase, we will compare this to the Local Authority / Trust ‘Framework Rate’ for care providers and we will normally backdate any increase for up to four weeks.

If you have any further questions or concerns please don’t hesitate to contact your Specialist Caseworker by phoning 0300 200 2022 or by emailing enquiries@ILF.scot


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Change of Circumstances

What if I go into hospital or residential care?

If you go into hospital or residential care, you or your award manager must inform us of this as soon as is reasonably practicable. If your stay exceeds 28 days, then we may need to suspend your award until you return home and we can then reinstate it. If you need continued ILF Scotland funded support while you are in hospital, please call us to discuss.


What if I change my care provider?

If you change care provider, please let us know, particularly if the new provider’s rates will mean that we need to consider an increase to your award. Make sure any provider you contract with is registered with the Care Inspectorate. ILF Scotland cannot pay for any care provided by an agency that is not registered. You must keep a record of the invoices care providers send you.


What do I do if any of my personal information changes?

If any of your personal information changes, such as your address or telephone number, then please let our Specialist Caseworker team know by phoning 0300 200 2022 or emailing enquiries@ilf.scot.

If your bank details have changed then you will need to contact us to ask for a ‘Change of Bank Details’ form. When you receive this form, please fill it in straightaway and return it to our Specialist Caseworker team who will process it immediately.


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Managing My Award

How can I use my award?

Please see Your Responsibilities Guide for more information on how you can use your award.


Do I need to keep records?

Yes, you must keep certain records for a period of two years. Please read Your Responsibilities Guide for more information on what records you need to keep.


Can I use an agency to help with the management of financial paperwork for my award?

Yes. You can use a financial management company or a payroll agency to assist you with the management of financial paperwork for your award. ILF Scotland will consider paying a reasonable contribution towards the cost of this. Please read our Employer Support Information Note for more information and contact our Specialist Caseworker team if you have any further questions.


Can someone else manage my award on my behalf?

Yes, you can ask someone else to manage your award. This is likely to be someone who has Guardianship or Power of Attorney or is a Benefit Appointee or it might be a family member / close friend or in some cases, another third party. If you feel that you are no longer able to manage your own award and you would like someone else to manage your award on your behalf, please talk to us about this. Please refer to the Your Responsibilities Guide for more information.


What is ILF Scotland's view with regards to a Power of Attorney?

ILF Scotland promotes the right of disabled people to be as independent as possible in their decision making . It is explicit in Policy 26, ‘Managing An Award’, that we assume that a disabled person has capacity. Where a form of substitute decision making is necessary, ILF Scotland expects that the choices and wishes of the disabled person are fully taken into account and every effort and aid to communication has been used to find out and act upon the disabled person’s wishes.

ILF Scotland recommends that fund recipients consider creating an Anticipatory Care Plan when they have the capacity to plan for foreseeable future care needs. For more information please see The Scottish Government Anticipatory Care Planning: Frequently Asked Questions.

Scotland
ILF Scotland recipients are advised that having a Power Of Attorney in place is considered good practice in Scotland if it is foreseeable that their capacity to make welfare and or financial decisions may decline. A Power of Attorney does not necessarily start when granted to the attorney, it can start when the disabled person is assessed as lacking capacity (as defined by the Adults with Incapacity (Scotland) Act 2000). For further information on Power of Attorney please see The Office of the Public Guardian. While ILF Scotland staff can provide some information to recipients and their carers if they have any enquiries regarding Power of Attorney, they cannot offer advice on which options to choose. Therefore, please obtain legal advice from a solicitor.

Northern Ireland
For fund recipients and carers considering granting an Enduring Power of Attorney in Northern Ireland, please see NI Direct: Managing Your Affairs and Enduring Power of Attorney and NI Department of Justice: Courts and Tribunals for further information and contact details.


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Increases in Award

Can I request an increase in my award as I now have higher support needs?

Your Local Authority / Trust has a statutory responsibility to support you if you need personal care. In some circumstances, we may be able to increase your ILF Scotland award to assist. Please refer to our Policy 18 on our website for further information.

Please contact our Specialist Caseworker team if you need any assistance regarding this.


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