• Skip to main content
  • Skip to secondary menu
  • Skip to primary sidebar
  • Skip to footer
  • About DNS
  • Subscribe to DNS
  • Advertise with DNS
  • Support DNS
  • Contact DNS

Disability News Service

the country's only news agency specialising in disability issues

  • Home
  • Independent Living
    • Arts, Culture and Sport
    • Crime
    • Education
    • Employment
    • Housing
    • Transport
  • Activism & Campaigning
  • Benefits & Poverty
  • Politics
  • Human Rights
You are here: Home / Independent Living / Labour finally admits: ‘We won’t save the Independent Living Fund’

Labour finally admits: ‘We won’t save the Independent Living Fund’

By John Pring on 6th February 2015 Category: Independent Living

Listen

Labour has finally admitted that it will not save the Independent Living Fund (ILF) if it secures power in May’s general election.

Last week a government-resourced trust which helps about 16, 500 people with the highest support needs to live independently.

But his response was so vague and confusing that many of those listening – including Labour activists – thought he had announced a new policy to save the fund.

His comments inspired two general election candidates to brag on Twitter that Miliband had committed Labour to saving the ILF.

The current government – if it retains power – will close the fund and pass the non-ring-fenced funding to local authorities on 30 June.

Despite repeated attempts by Disability News Service (DNS) last week to clarify its position, the party said only that a Labour government would “issue guidance to local authorities” to help protect those affected by the ILF closure, and refused to say whether a Labour government would try to save the ILF.

But now an email has emerged from Kate Green, Labour’s shadow minister for disabled people, in which she tells a constituent in Manchester that it is “not Labour’s position to retain the ILF”.

She says this is because there is now a “real opportunity, and indeed a pressing need, to develop a sustainable model of provision for the most severely disabled people within the integrated health and social care landscape that [Labour shadow ministers] Andy Burnham and Liz Kendall have been articulating, rather than continuing with a standalone fund”.

She says she is “working closely” with fellow shadow ministers to “establish the principles” that will ensure a Labour government’s spending review “has the concept of independent living at its heart”.

She adds in the email: “We of course want to ensure recipients continue to be supported once the ILF has closed, which our proposed guidance to local authorities is intended to address, but our wider purpose is to ensure a sustainable model of provision that protects people’s ability to live independently in the way that they choose.”

After attempts by DNS to confirm that the email was genuine, both with Green herself and the party’s central press office, the shadow minister finally confirmed tonight (Thursday) that it was.

In a one-line email, she told DNS: “Yes, that is the text of a letter I sent to a constituent earlier this week.”

5 February 2015

Share this post:

Share on X (Twitter)Share on FacebookShare on WhatsAppShare on RedditShare on LinkedIn

Tags: Ed Miliband Independent Living Fund Labour

A photograph shows an audience raising their hands in a BSL sign. The words say: 'BSL Conference 2025. The future starts with us. Leeds 17-18 July. Be part of shaping the future of Deaf cultures and identities. Get 10% off with BDA10'

Related

Urgent letter from UN to Labour government warns: We think your cuts continue Tory attack on disability rights
10th July 2025
‘Complete shift in thinking’ needed on education of disabled children, says ALLFIE
10th July 2025
Four disabled Labour MPs stand up to government over cuts to disability benefits
3rd July 2025

Primary Sidebar

On the left of the image are multiple heads of different colours - white, aqua, red, light brown, and dark green - all grouped together, then the words ‘Campaign for Disability Justice. Sign up to support. #OpportunitySecurityRespect’
A photograph shows an audience raising their hands in a BSL sign. The words say: 'BSL Conference 2025. The future starts with us. Leeds 17-18 July. Be part of shaping the future of Deaf cultures and identities. Get 10% off with BDA10'

Access

Latest Stories

Government ignores warnings of new DWP deaths, and UN intervention, as MPs pass universal credit cuts bill

Urgent letter from UN to Labour government warns: We think your cuts continue Tory attack on disability rights

Race against time to secure DWP deaths evidence before parliament passes new benefit cuts bill

‘Complete shift in thinking’ needed on education of disabled children, says ALLFIE

Minister ignored concerns from disabled advisers, months before publishing cuts bill

Frustration after government only issues partial ban on new floating bus stops

Report suggests five big ideas that could transform disabled people’s mobility

My new book shows exactly why we need the disability movement, says disabled author

‘Disastrous’ cuts bill that leaves legacy of distrust and distress ‘must be dropped’

Four disabled Labour MPs stand up to government over cuts to disability benefits

Advice and Information

Readspeaker
A photograph shows an audience raising their hands in a BSL sign. The words say: 'BSL Conference 2025. The future starts with us. Leeds 17-18 July. Be part of shaping the future of Deaf cultures and identities. Get 10% off with BDA10'

Footer

The International Standard Serial Number for Disability News Service is: ISSN 2398-8924

  • Accessibility Statement
  • Privacy Policy
  • Site map
  • Bluesky
  • Facebook
  • Instagram
  • LinkedIn
  • Threads
  • Twitter

Copyright © 2025 Disability News Service

Site development by A Bright Clear Web