Scotland Advisory Group Meeting
Thursday 23 May 2024, via Zoom
Present
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
In Attendance
ILF Scotland Staff
Harvey Tilley
Lee House
Linda Scott
Karen Burnett
Emma O’Neill
Deborah Kenneway
Danielle Dunlop
Lindsay Murdoch
Apologies
Jim Elder-Woodward
Peter Scott
Catherine Symington
- Welcome and Introductions
Andy Higgins welcomed everyone to the meeting. Everyone agreed that
Lee would record the meeting.
- Minutes from Previous Meetings
Minutes agreed and signed off. Lee to pass to communications team to
upload to ILF Scotland website.
Actions from previous meeting
- Linda and Peter will discuss and provide some clarity on the
circumstances when contingency funds can be used. (It was
agreed this would be picked up by Peter and Jim on the PA
Programme Group)
- Lee to share the presentation from Finbarr Fitzpatrick to the
Group. (Done)
- Matters Arising
No matters arising.
- Re-Opening 2015 Update
Harvey advised the group that ILF Scotland re-opened the fund in April
- ILF Scotland Staff have been supporting local authority staff since
then to enable them to submit applications. There have been 26
applications to the fund so far. The process is that the LA contact applies
on behalf of the applicant then a home visit is conducted by an assessor.
An agreement of the award is put in place between both parties then
processed to payment. There has been a substantial amount of
engagement work completed with local authorities to provide guidance
on what ILF Scotland funding might provide and to support local
authority staff to make applications.
Linda added that the Co-Production Working Group will be looking at the
possibility of alternatives to a fixed financial threshold sum (£800) as well
as considering the potential to incorporate an appropriate contribution for
unpaid care. The group will also consider differences in the available
income contribution, capital limit, and upper age limit, between the
existing and the re-opened fund. Linda advised that we are referring to
both the original and the re-opened fund as the Independent Living Fund
and that the working group will consider changes to the re-opened fund
as outlined above but will also look at improvements to the independent
living fund as a whole.
Linda will feedback any relevant developments to the Advisory group.
Chris Mercer agreed that it would be helpful if the whole fund is working
with the same policy suite and guidelines.
Martha Shortreed added that she is concerned about when ILF Scotland
waive its chare, the local authority will introduce a charge. Linda advised
the group that ILF Scotland is aware of this and are monitoring the
situation to ensure that applicants are not worse off as a result of ILF
Scotland applying a waiver. COSLA guidance confirms that local
authorities should not increase their charge in response to ILF Scotland
reducing or waiving theirs.
https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/social-care-charging-forlocal-authorities-2023-to-2024.
- Available Income Contribution
Andy asked Linda if we keep a record of the number of waivers of
available income from applicants and recipients. Linda advised that
there are records kept and that waiver applications normally follow
review visits. It is rare to receive a request directly from a recipient.
Linda advised that the abolition of the available income contribution is
not currently being considered in advance of the Scottish Government’s
plans to abolish social care charging more widely at the end of 2025 /
2026.
Gordon McKee advised the group that he feels that they have to keep
pushing the Scottish Government for the removal of available income
charges.
- Policy Update
Linda advised that the policy framework for the re-opened fund remained
largely the same although there was a slight a revision of eight policies,
primarily around the revised Threshold Sum, Maximum Award, etc.
Policy 38 Suspensions has now been approved by both sponsor teams
and published on the website. The change is that if a recipient is in
hospital for more than 28 days, ILF Scotland can continue to pay the
award providing the recipient is being supported by their PA / provider
for a period of up to six months. The other change is that someone
moving to residential care will have their award suspended rather than
closed so that if they return home at some point, the funding can be restarted.
ILF Scotland continues to discuss the maximum award policy with the
Scotland Sponsor Team.
The new equalities mainstreaming report for 2024 to 2026 is now on ILF
Scotland’s website along with an update on achievements against the
previous plan actions.
The new corporate parenting plan 2024 to 2027 is on the website along
with an update against actions in the previous plan actions.
The Charter for Involvement progress against actions has also been
published on the website. The Advisory and Stakeholder group
members met jointly to discuss progressing the charter action priorities
for 2024 to 2025. The minutes from that meeting will be circulated by
Karen Burnett.
The groups will meet jointly again to discuss key priorities that came out
of that discussion. Gordon asked about raising the profiles of the role of
a PA and possibly a media campaign to give more insight into what this
entails and how it supports people in their daily lives. Linda confirmed
that was highlighted at the charter meeting and will be discussed further
at the next joint meeting.
- Any Other Business
Linda advised the group that the SROI findings and report have been
presented to the Scottish Government. This document has now been
signed off and will be published on the website.
- Future Meeting Dates & Arrangements
Friday 30 August 11 am to 1 pm
