Version: 2.0
Date Created: 14 December 2017
Date of Last Review: 29 March 2021
Date of Next Review: 31 March 2024
Independent living means all disabled people having the same freedom, choice, dignity and control as other citizens at home, at work and in the community.
We consider being present, active, participating in and contributing to society is an indicator of inclusion and of independent living. The ILF Transition Fund offers grants to young disabled people aged between 16 and 25. The purpose of the Transition Fund grant is to support young disabled people to access opportunities to be present / active participants in their communities as a pathway to independent living.
The ILF Transition Fund upholds the general principles applicable to the Social Care (Self- Directed Support) (Scotland) Act 2013, in particular, ‘the right to participate in the life of the community in which the person lives is to be respected’ (Section 2 (b)). The Transition Fund aims to maximise choice and control and empower young disabled people to become more confident, independent and able to achieve Scotland’s aspirations for a happier, healthier and more fulfilled life.
The ILF Scotland Transition Fund grants are awarded at the discretion of ILF Scotland including the discretion to determine the appropriate grant level. Please see Policy TF01 – Eligibility Criteria and Evaluation Framework.
Successful applicants must use any grant awarded specifically as authorised by ILF Scotland and in line with the terms and
conditions contained in the ‘Your Responsibilities Guide’. ILF Scotland does not intend to be over-prescriptive in relation to how the fund is used. The primary concern is that disabled people use it to meet specific outcomes or goals relevant to the aims of the scheme and compatible with the principles of Self Directed Support and independent living.
The ILF Scotland Transition Fund will provide a short-term financial grant to help young people between the ages of 16 and 25 to explore, plan and achieve outcomes or goals that help them become more active, present and participating in their communities.
Applications must meet the published eligibility criteria. ILF Scotland will apply discretion to individual requests for funding, in relation to:
Successful applicants must use any grant to meet specific outcomes or goals agreed with ILF Scotland. The young person must state in the application how they will spend the money and how they will use this to help meet their goal or outcome. Young people might use their funding to, for example:
The ILF Scotland website outlines some case studies and examples.
This list is not exhaustive and is for illustrative purposes only. ILF Scotland will consider all grants, encouraging young people to be creative and imaginative about what they would like to achieve and what they need to do that. ILF Scotland is particularly pleased to consider applications that have the potential to transform a young person’s life and that demonstrate an attempt to achieve a long-term impact.
We understand that not all young people know what goals or outcomes they would like to achieve, and that some may need more formal support to complete an application.
Applicants can therefore apply for an initial person centred planning grant to help them to determine what goals they would like to achieve, what they might need to make these goals a reality, and to complete and submit their application. Grants for planning can be in addition to the award of a main grant, and do not contribute towards the grant period. For more detail, please see our website. (Person Centred Planning Grant - ILF)
A Transition Fund grant will not:
Grant recipients must return all ILF Scotland grants if they do not use them to meet the agreed outcome.
On occasions, it may be appropriate for an applicant to use a Transition Fund grant outside of the UK. Any such use of funds must only take place following receipt of formal consent from ILF Scotland.
There is no lower limit of grant.
ILF Scotland and Scottish Government determine an upper grant limit based on anticipated demand and availability of funding. The limit will normally be set from 1st April each year and will normally last for 12 months before further review. However, in circumstances such as exceptional/unpredicted high demand, it may also be reviewed mid-year. The current maximum grant is £4,000 per annum.
In very exceptional circumstances, ILF Scotland can use its discretion to consider grants above the upper limit if it believes there is realistic potential for a genuinely life- transforming impact.
Applicants should spend grants within 12 months of receipt of funding. In exceptional circumstances, and at the discretion of ILF Scotland, we may consider a grant duration beyond 12 months.
ILF Scotland will transfer funds to an agreed bank account for successful applicants in line with Policy TF06 – Managing an ILF Transition Fund grant. ILF Scotland will agree with the applicant how to award the grant - as a one off lump sum payment, as 12 monthly payments, or a combination of both. ILF Scotland will agree who will manage the fund – the recipient, a member of the family, or a third party Grant Manager.
Recipients cannot use their grant for anything that does not contribute to the achievement of the agreed outcome(s) and that ILF Scotland did not agree. In the event that an ILF Scotland grant recipient wishes to change their outcome(s) or goals and/or spend the grant awarded to them in a different way, they must obtain permission from ILF Scotland in advance.
Recipients should notify ILF Scotland as soon as possible, if they do not expect to spend their grant money as planned and agreed with ILF Scotland. Recipients must return any unspent money to ILF Scotland unless they agree an alternative plan in advance, in line with ILF Transition Fund policies.
The ILF Transition Fund offers short-term grants to meet specific and agreed independent living focused outcomes for disabled people. ILF Scotland, therefore, expects that recipients will use the grant as agreed and within the specified period. ILF Scotland reserves the right to suspend or close a grant if a recipient has used it in a way other than that agreed to by ILF Scotland. When recipients have not complied with the responsibilities outlined in the ‘Your Responsibilities Guide,’ ILF Scotland may seek the return of ILF Transition Fund grant money.
If a recipient’s circumstances change so that they are no longer able to achieve their agreed outcome, they should notify ILF Scotland as soon as possible. Such changes of circumstances could include:
On notification of a significant change to circumstances, ILF Scotland will discuss options with the grant recipient and/or their Grant Manager. Options could include:
ILF Scotland reserves the right to visit all ILF Transition Fund recipients at the end of the grant period. All recipients should keep records and receipts showing clearly how they have spent the Transition Fund grant. Expenditure should cover only the things ILF Scotland has agreed to fund. Recipients should retain all receipts and/or proof of expenditure for the duration of the grant period and submit these to ILF Scotland either during or at the end of the grant. Recipients or Grant Managers should retain all financial records for a period of six months beyond the end of grant period. ILF Scotland will keep all financial records of grant expenditure for a period of 6 years.
ILF Scotland will examine the returned receipts / records. Recipients who are unable to provide ILF Scotland with appropriate records and receipts may be required to pay back all or part of the grant.
