National Association of Finance Assessment Officers Conference9 June 2010

Background and history

• Established 1988

• Two funds 1993

• An ‘ENDPB’ and single Fund 2006

• Manages a Trust Fund for DWP

• Trustees appointed by Secretary of State

• CEO appointed by Trustees

The Independent Living Fund

Background and history

• Employs around 170 staff

• Employs approximately 80 self-employed assessors

• Will spend £348 million this year for GB

• Over 97 pence in every £ to users

• £3 billion to 46,000 people since 1988

Our resources

Background and history

• 21,000 users across UK

• 14,250 users in England and Wales

• £322.71 average award (UK)

• £313.02 average award (Eng)

• £329.33 average award (Wales)

• Maximum award £475 per week

Some statistics

Background and history

• National consistency

• Bridge between two worlds

• 21 years expertise

• Portability of support

• Close relationship with our users

Our unique position integral to social care delivery in the UK

Use of funding

• Cleaning and other domestic duties

• Cooking and preparing food and drink

• Laundering and ironing

• Shopping

• Personal hygiene and grooming

Qualifying support and services

Use of funding

• Dressing

• Eating and drinking

• Physical movement such as turning and walking

• Supervision in order to avoid substantial danger to themselves or others

Qualifying support and services

Use of funding

• Agency or private support

• Tax and National Insurance

• Payroll support

• Employment support

• Advertising and task related training

Employers costs

Who does the ILF support?

• High rate care component of DLA

• Be at least 16 years old and no older than 64

• Have less than £23,000 capital

• Be resident in the UK

• £340 worth of Local Authority support

Eligibility criteria

Who does the ILF support?

• Qualifying support and services

• Home care

• Day centres and day services

• Residential respite care

• Direct payments

• Individual budgets

• Joint commissioning

Allowable components of Social Services funding

Who does the ILF support?

• Existing Fund users

• New applicants in paid employment for 16 hours per week or more

Two priority groups

Process and procedure

• Assessed through the Local Authority

• Application completed by User and LA

• Eligibility is checked

• ILF Assessor allocated

• Joint assessment by ILF and LA

• Report of assessed need sent to ILF HQ

The customer journey

Process and procedure

• Recommendation is checked against policy

• Information input into computer

• Offer of funding made

• Offer of funding accepted

• Payments commence

• Review after 6 months

• Review every 2 years (with LA)

The customer journey

The ILF offer

• Total cost of support package

• Less Local Authority contribution

• Less User contribution

• Less any third party contribution

• Balance is ILF offer

Calculating the offer

The ILF offer

• Half of the highest care component DLA

Plus

• Severe Disability Premium (if applicable)

Or

• Any assessed available income (if not in receipt of IS)

Minus

• Any charge made by LA

Calculating a user’s contribution

The ILF award

• User and LA acceptance forms

• Paid four-weekly in arrears

• Direct to user or representative

• Net of assessed user contribution

An offer of funding must be accepted before any payment can be made

The ILF award

• Eligibility ceases

• Temporary breaks in support needs

• Compliance issues

Payments may be effected

Developing the ILF

• Consultation and co-production

• Strengthened strategic and operational relationships

• Right to Control trailblazers

• Customer Service Excellence

• Investors in People

Development includes

Developing the ILF

• Working within fixed budgets

• More flexibility for users

• Outcomes based assessment

• More targeted funding

• Short or fixed term funding

• Continued consultation, development and improvement

The future

Thank you