PARLIAMENTARY EARLY DAY MOTION
INDEPENDENT LIVING FUND (29 October 2012)

That this House deplores the Government's proposal to close down the Independent Living Fund which currently facilitates 19,373 of those with the highest support needs with the right to live in the community with choices equal to others, and their full inclusion and participation in the community, as anticipated by Article 19 of the Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities; regrets that the Government proposals to transfer the responsibilities of providing this support to local authorities and devolved administrations contain no commitment to maintain the current level of support, which will inevitably lead to an increase in isolation and segregation for many adults and the loss of independence and unnecessary admission of many others into residential care; believes the recent consultation on the issue lacked detail and based its assertions on outdated research; and calls on the Government to review this regressive step and look at ways of expanding the Independent Living Fund to provide needs-based support to all adults in the UK who require it.

Sponsored by:
Baroness Clark of Kilwinning (Labour)