Independent Living Fund (ILF) Scotland Information
Following the closure of the UK Independent Living Fund (ILF) on 30 June 2015, the Scottish Government established a new organisation, the Independent Living Fund (ILF) Scotland, to administer payments for existing recipients of ILF in Scotland and in Northern Ireland.
ILF Scotland is a public body, governed by a Board of Directors, appointed by and accountable to Scottish Ministers. ILF Scotland operates as a discretionary fund providing financial awards to more than 2,300 disabled people in Scotland and Northern Ireland to help them live independently.
The funding recipients receive is used to purchase social care support to help them meet independent living outcomes that are important to them. Recipients are supported in their own homes and within their own communities, and the funding helps overcome barriers they might face to independent living. Independent living means: “Disabled people have the same freedom, choice, dignity and control as other people at home, at work and in the community. It does not mean living by yourself or looking after yourself on your own. It means the person has rights to practical assistance and support to participate in society and live an ordinary life.” (Independent Living in Scotland Project, 2008).
Depending on when recipients joined ILF Scotland, the Fund categorises recipients into different groups, which determines the maximum amount that ILF Scotland can pay in annual awards.
The Independent Living Fund re-opened to new recipients in April 2024
You can apply for the fund if you meet the following Access Principles:
- You live in Scotland.
- You are aged 16 years or over at the time of application.
- You access Self-Directed Support.
- You receive a net weekly budget of at least £800 per week.
Applications to the Independent Living Fund are made by your local council’s social work department, on your behalf.
Visit the Independent Living Fund website for more information on the fund and how to apply.
How the Independent Living Fund Scotland operates
The Fund makes payments of different amounts for different social care support services on an individual basis as part of the ILF Scotland reviews that take place every two to three years, which are person centred and outcomes focused.
For disabled adults with a self-directed support (SDS) budget, ILF Scotland complements the funding and services in place. ILF Scotland funding is additional to the responsibility of the person’s Local Authority/ Health and Social Care Partnership, and recipients use their ILF Scotland funding to meet additional independent living outcomes.
Co-production, collaboration with, and involvement of disabled people is at the heart of the organisation and is in every facet of its operations. ILF Scotland works in partnership with recipients to provide relevant information, services and support in a format and method that works for them so that they have full choice and control of their ILF funding.
ILF Scotland encourages recipients to use their funding flexibly to achieve independent living outcomes in a way that suits their individual needs and helps overcome barriers they might face to independent living. This may be different for each recipient and there can be a variety of different ways to use the funding, such as engaging social care support agencies or employing Personal Assistants.
Next steps
ILF Scotland provide a range of information and support to enable people receiving ILF funding to recruit and employ their own Personal Assistants (PAs). Further information on the support provided can be found in the resources below.