Transfer review programme code of practice: joint statement with Equalities National Council
A new code of practice aims to support Independent Living Fund users during the transition of their support to local authorities.
The Independent Living Fund (ILF) and the Equalities National Council (ENC) has made a joint statement in support of the code of practice agreed by the ILF, the Association of Directors of Adults Social Services (ADASS), and the Local Government Association (LGA).
The code of practice, published on 7 May 2013, will enhance the delivery of the ILF transfer review programme to best support ILF users throughout the transition of their support to local authorities from 1 April 2015. The underlying principle of the code is to maintain a commitment to personalisation and outcome focused independent living support, and will hopefully provide an opportunity to increase the take up of Direct Payments and Personal Budgets.
Commenting on the code of practice, Chief Executive of the ILF, James Sanderson said:
Disabled people have always received direct cash payments to pay for their support through the ILF.
We hope the code of practice and the transfer review programme provide a great opportunity to encourage as many ILF users as possible to continue to exercise choice and control over how their care is provided.
Chief Executive of the ENC, Julie Jaye Charles, added:
Black and minority ethnic disabled people are one of the most disadvantaged groups in the UK and face significant barriers to accessing care and support services.
We are pleased to be able to support the code of practice and work closely with the ILF to promote the take up of local authority Direct Payments from black and minority ethnic disabled people.
Notes to editors
- The ILF is an executive non-departmental public body of the Department for Work and Pensions. It provides financial assistance under the terms of a single publicly financed discretionary Trust Deed – The Independent Living Fund (2006), governed by a board of 7 trustees.
- The ILF makes cash payments to 18,000 disabled people with high support needs in all parts of the UK to assist with meeting the cost of the support they require to achieve independent living.
- On 18 December 2012 the government announced it will close the ILF on 31 March 2015 and transfer responsibility for supporting ILF users to local authorities in England and the devolved administrations in Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland.
- The ILF launched its transfer review programme on 2 April 2013 to deliver an effective transfer of support for ILF users. In response to feedback from the consultation on the future of the ILF, it sent users in each country of the UK a step by step guide explaining how the transfer programme will support them through this transition and how the process will work.
- The 6-stage programme includes a face to face visit from an ILF independent assessor to discuss users’ current support arrangements with them and their local authority. This discussion will be used to produce a comprehensive and outcome-focused support plan to assist users and their local authorities to discuss support arrangements from April 2015.
- To enhance the effective delivery of the transfer review programme the ILF, ADASS and the LGA agreed and published a code of practice on 7 May 2013. The code of practice aims to enhance the effective delivery of the transfer review programme by setting out 10 key principles, which support partnership working between the ILF and local authorities in England.
- For more information go to www.dwp.gov.uk/ilf.