The Independent Living Funds — What does the Future Hold? Available to Purchase

At a time when there is much debate about the nature of self‐directed support and the development of individual budgets, the role of the Independent Living Funds comes into question. This article reports on the findings of an independent review of the ILF undertaken for the Department for Work and Pensions. It is argued that, while in many ways ahead of its time at its creation in 1988, the ILF is no longer at the leading edge of policy and practice in supporting independent living such as have been promoted under the auspices of In Control.There is much that can be done to improve the operation of the ILF and the experience which people have of using it, and the report made multiple recommendations for change. However, in the longer term the case is made that the ILF should not have an ongoing and separate existence, and there is a presumption of full incorporation within individualised budgets.