Application Form

The Independent Living Fund (2006) is an Executive Non-Departmental Public Body (ENDPB) of the Department for Work and Pensions.  This means we get all our funding from central government.  

We support people with disabilities so that they can live independently at home, rather than in residential care.  Our funding enables people to employ their own personal assistances or a care agency worker and gives them the choice and control over what support they get. 

We work in partnership with local authority social services or social work departments as we can only make payments to people who get Social Services Support to the value of at least £16,640 per year (£320 per week).  The social services support can take the form of direct services, for example a day centre placement or money from a Direct Payment Scheme.

Rules about who can apply to the ILF 

There are some rules about who can apply.  To qualify you must:

• get at least £320 worth of support a week or £16,640 a year from Social Services;
• get the higher rate care component of Disability Living Allowance (DLA);
• be at least 16 and under 65.  You must apply before your 65th birthday.  The funding can continue after your 65th birthday as long as you still meet all the other conditions;
• be living in the United Kingdom (UK);
• have less than £23,000 in savings or capital (this includes any money your partner has).

Priority applications

Applications will be given priority.  The first priority is:

· if you are in work or self employed for at least 16 hours per week your application will be accepted so long as you meet the rules about who can apply to us

The second priority is:

· if you are in receipt of Income Support, Pension Guarantee Credit, Income Based Job Seekers Allowance, Income Related Employment and Support Allowance, or have an income at a similar level* even though you do not receive the benefit AND have a care package which is expected to add up to at least the minimum package cost currently fixed at £500 per week

* Only once the financial information form is completed and returned to us will we be able to tell if your income is close enough to Income Support levels for your application to be accepted. From 31 March 2009 people with income no more than 25% above income support level will be prioritised. 

If you are not in one of the groups listed above, it is unlikely your application will be successful.

If you think that you meet the rules about who can apply, and you would like to make an application to us,  please fill in an application form.  The application form has four sections in it.  The first three sections needs to be filled in by the person making the application and the fourth section needs to be filled in by your local authority social worker.