Mencap responds to announcements that the Independent Living Fund is to be phased out by 2015

Tuesday 14 December 2010

David Congdon, Mencap's head of campaigns and policy, said:

"The ILF is a lifeline which supports over 21,000 people to live independently, something many of us take for granted. Without this funding the quality of life for these people is severely affected.

"With extra pressure on budgets we are extremely concerned that local authorities will be unable to replace the ILF and provide care packages. Phasing out the ILF is yet another cut for people with a disability who are finding social care and benefits being cut from every direction. Since the freezing of applications for ILF in June, Mencap has received many calls from people with a learning disability and their families who feared the loss of this funding. It is vital that local authorities protect services for the most vulnerable in our society."

ENDS

For more information please contact Jenny Brannan on 020 7696 6017 or email jenny.brannan@mencap.org.uk

Notes to editors

• About Mencap

Mencap supports the 1.5 million people with a learning disability in the UK and their families and carers. Mencap fights to change laws and improve services and access to education, employment and leisure facilities, supporting thousands of people with a learning disability to live their lives the way they want.

We are also the largest service provider of services, information and advice for people with a learning disability across England, Northern Ireland and Wales. See http://www.mencap.org.uk/ for more information.

• About learning disability

A learning disability is caused by the way the brain develops before, during or shortly after birth. It is always lifelong and affects someone's intellectual and social development. It used to be called mental handicap but this term is outdated and offensive. Learning disability is NOT a mental illness. The term learning difficulty is often incorrectly used interchangeably with learning disability.