Lothian Centre for Inclusive Living

Minister: ILF snubbed disabled people before eligibility changes - Disabled people were not consulted by the Independent Living Fund before it tightened its eligibility criteria in March, Maria Miller, minister for disabled people, has revealed. The ILF, which provides disabled people with money to pay for care, restricted funding to those working at least 16 hours a week, as well as receiving social services support and disability living allowance.

Source: Community Care

Giving me control of my care has been a revelation - I'm one of the first recipients of the system that lets me spend money on the care of my choice. All that glitters is not gold, but it's been transformative. The government has a new initiative for disabled people on benefits. It inherited it from the last few months of the Labour government, but it also ticks a box dear to the heart of the Conservatives: the one that calls for "more patient power" and more self-reliance. It's "personalisation". In a nutshell, it removes the local authority and, in most cases, gives the money straight to the service user to spend as they see fit.

Source:  The Guardian

Do disabled people fare better in the open labour market? - Many disabled people who lost their jobs when Remploy shut 29 factories in 2008 have not worked again. But does this mean that sheltered workplaces are the best option? Opinion is divided. Only one in two disabled people of working age had a job before the recession kicked in; proportionally large numbers of those who are employed have jobs in the public services, which are about to shed hundreds of thousands of posts.

Source:  The Guardian

One-third of DLA claimants fear worst from cuts - The survey by Essex Coalition of Disabled People found 57% of claimants fear their benefit may be taken away and two-thirds felt felt their level of support would be reduced.

Source:  Community Care

Gary McKinnon mother praises Cameron-Obama talks - The mother of computer hacker Gary McKinnon says it is wonderful his case has been raised by the prime minister during talks with the US president.

Source:  BBC News

Scots councils can't account for £34m disabled children fund - Scottish councils have been unable to account for how £34m of funding for disabled children and their families was spent, a charity has claimed. The results of a freedom of information request from the coalition charity, for Scotland's Disabled Children (fSDC) found that while some councils believed the money had been dissolved into other budget pressures, others were unable to account for the spending at all.

Source: Community Care

Councils grab millions meant for the disabled - MILLIONS of pounds intended to help disabled children has "disappeared" into council funding pots rather than being spent on support and services, 

Source: The Scotsman

Why 'Carry On Up The Council' is no laughing matter - Barbara Windsor, MBE, star of Carry On films and EastEnders on TV, is launching a new campaign to encourage 2m older people to claim £1.5bn a year they are entitled to receive to help pay their Council Tax bills. After the way this local tax has soared in recent years, that’s no laughing matter. Mrs Windsor said: “It is dreadful that so much money is failing to reach millions of pensioners who need it, particularly when times are so hard and every penny counts. I really hope this campaign encourages people to find out what benefits they’re entitled to and put in a claim.”

Source:The Telegraph

Blue badge holders may face medical tests - Drivers could be forced to undergo an independent medical assessment before being allowed to join the blue badge disabled parking scheme, under Scottish Government plans published yesterday. A consultation on the reform of the blue badge - which allows disabled drivers to park on yellow and double yellow lines to access local services - proposes wide-ranging changes to its operation to crack down on misuse.

Source:  The Scotsman