A HIGH Court Judge in London ruled yesterday that the government’s decision to close the Independent Living Fund (ILF) is lawful.
The Tories plan to scrap the ILF, which provides support for 18,000 disabled people and is worth £320m a year, on 30th June 2015.
Delivering her ruling yesterday, Mrs Justice Andrews admitted that her judgement would prove to be a ‘great disappointment’ to disabled people, while Tory Minister for disabled people, Mike Penning, has also admitted in parliament that he ‘could not guarantee people’s future independence would not be compromised’ by the abolition of the fund.
Wheelchair user John Kelly, 45, from Wimbledon in south-west London, who was in court for yesterday’s ruling, said: ‘I am absolutely gutted – not just for myself but for the thousands of people this decision will impact on.
‘It is bonkers. Even the judge said she was making the decision with sympathy. It is an attack by the government on the ability of over 18,000 disabled people to be able to live independently in our society.
‘Even the minister knows that his decision-making is going to make that happen.’
Jonathan Kaye, a disability consultant from Uxbridge, west London, said: ‘This is a deeply regrettable decision which will undoubtedly have a political impact.
‘There is no way in which disabled people can vote for the Conservative Party now.
‘It is likely that many will not be able to afford the carers who help them live independent lives.
‘Money is being passed to local authorities to help us, but it will not be ring-fenced and the local authorities will be under no obligation to pass it on to those who need it.’
The Equality and Human Rights Commission (EHRC) said closure of the fund will ‘result in loss of dignity and independence for many ILF recipients’.
The EHRC said the fact that 18,000 severely disabled people will lose essential funding is in breach of the UK’s international commitments to support disabled people.
PCS general secretary Mark Serwotka said: ‘Today’s ruling is a crushing blow for disabled people who rely on ILF support to maintain the kind of independence the rest of us take for granted.
‘We will fight on and continue to support the campaign to keep this lifeline open.’
The PCS said the cuts to council budgets, along with the loss of experienced ILF staff, will mean more disabled people being placed in residential care or left at home without adequate support.
Richard Hawkes, Chief Executive of Scope, said: ‘Funding will be transferred to councils, but there will be no guarantee that the money will be used to support disabled people to live independently, or that former ILF users will receive the same levels of support, given the pressures on local authority finances.’
