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Money, tax and benefits

Independent Living Fund

The Independent Living (1993) Fund is designed to help you, if you are disabled, to live independently at home rather than in residential care. You can use payments from the Fund to employ people to give you personal and domestic care in your home.

Who is eligible?

You can apply to the Independent Living Fund if you:

  • are over 16 and under 65 when your application is received
  • already get or able to get social services support to the value of at least £320 a week (this can include direct payments and/or services from your local authority, such as day-centre placement)
  • receive or are entitled to the care component of the Disability Living Allowance at the highest rate
  • live alone or with people who cannot fully meet your care needs
  • are at risk of entering residential care (or are currently in residential care and wish to leave and live independently)
  • are capable of living in the community for at least six months
  • have capital of less than £22,250 (includes a partner's or civil partner's capital)
  • have a care package that costs less than £785.00 per week (once your own income has been taken into account)
  • satisfy conditions as to residence and presence in the UK

How much do you get?

£455 per week is the maximum payment.

The amount you may get is based on the cost of the care you need worked out on an hourly or weekly basis.

Your capital and income and certain other benefits and expenses also affect how much you get.

How it's paid

Independent Living Fund payments are made directly into any account of your choice which accepts benefit payments. This might be a bank, building society, Post Office® or National Savings account.

If  you're registered blind or need someone who cares for you to collect your money, you can be sent a cheque to cash at the Post Office®. 

Effect on other benefits

Payments from the Fund won't affect your other benefits. This is because they are used to pay for your care so are not counted as income.

But the Independent Living Fund takes half of the Disability Living Allowance and full Severe Disability Premium into account in their financial assessment.

What you can use it for

You can use payments from the Independent Living Fund to pay for employing a care agency or personal assistant(s) to help you with personal and domestic tasks including:

  • bathing, toileting, washing and dressing
  • cooking and shopping
  • laundry, cleaning and other household tasks

You may be able to get personal care when you're socialising or at work.

What you can't use it for

  • wages of a spouse, partner or relative (including in-laws) acting as a personal assistant who lives in your house (but it can be used to pay them if they don't live with you)
  • help from social services, including residential respite care, home care stamp or any other charges
  • household bills, including heating, food and clothes
  • external laundry costs
  • childcare
  • gardening
  • wheelchairs or other equipment or furniture
  • adaptations to your home
  • care assistance to anyone other than yourself
  • holidays
  • petrol and other travel expenses
  • private hospital or residential care home fees
  • hairdressing or chiropody, unless for essential personal care
  • physiotherapy, aromatherapy, hydrotherapy or massage

How to apply

You can ask your local authority social services department for an Independent Living Fund application form.

Or you can download an application form from the Independent Living Funds website. The form has notes to help you complete it and the address to send it.

If the Fund believes you may qualify for a payment, you'll be visited by one of their social workers who'll contact your local authority social worker to arrange a convenient time to visit and do a joint assessment of your needs.

What to do if your circumstances change

You should let the Independent Living Fund know as soon as possible if your circumstances change as this may mean that your weekly payments will increase or reduce.

You can call the Independent Living Fund 0845 601 8815, textphone 0845 601 8816.

Lines are open:

Monday to Wednesday 9.00 am  to 4.30 pm

Thursday 9.00 am  to 2.00 pm and 3.30 pm  to 4.30 pm

Friday 9.00 am to 4.00 pm.

How to appeal

If you are unhappy about a decision or award made by the Independent Living Fund you can ask for a 'decision review' by  contacting the Fund within four weeks of the decision date.

You can call the Independent Living Fund 0845 601 8815, textphone 0845 601 8816.

What else you need to know

Every two years the Independent Living Fund will review your circumstances to check you're still getting the right level of payments.

An Independent Living Funds assessor and your local authority social worker or care manager will visit you to do the review. You can also ask to have a friend, relative or your personal assistant at the review meeting.

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