HC Deb 28 June 1989 vol 155 cc473-4W
Mr. Allen

To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security how many civil servants and at what grade run the independent living fund.

Mr. Scott

Thirty-two, ranging in grade from administrative assistant to senior executive officer, working under the direction of the trustees of the fund.

Mr. Allen

To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security if he will brief local social security offices about the independent living fund; and if he will make appropriate forms available at those offices.

Mr. Scott

Guidance on the independent living fund has been issued to all local offices. Posters and explanatory leaflets publicising the fund, and explaining how an application form may be obtained, have also been issued.

Mr. Allen

To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security what is the budget for the independent living fund for each of the years for which figures are available.

Mr. Scott

Up to £5 million was made available for the first year of the independent living fund. A further £5 million has been made available for the current year, but this figure is under continuous review.

Mr. Allen

To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security what are the criteria for deciding how much money an applicant gets from the independent living fund.

Mr. Scott

The amount payable is decided by the trustees and is based on the cost of reasonable care which cannot be met from other sources.

Mr. Allen

To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security what items of guidance, by topic, his Department has issued to local authorities on the independent living fund.

Mr. Scott

The director of the independent living fund is writing to all local authority directors of social services, bringing the fund to their attention, and explaining what help it can give to severely disabled people.

Mr. Allen

To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security what steps he is taking to advertise the independent living fund to potential claimants.

Mr. Scott

Publicity for the independent living fund has been mainly through the specialist press and organisations representing disabled people. The trustees are responsible for publicity and are continuing to use various methods to make the fund even more widely known.