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ILF review visits - what happens

When you first applied to the Independent Living Fund (ILF), an assessor will have visited you. They would have visited you again after six months to talk about your care arrangements.

This visit gave you an opportunity to talk about how:

• you're using the ILF money you got
• you can be supported over the next couple of years

It also gave the ILF the opportunity to see the records you are keeping and to give you further advice.

The ILF will visit you at least once every two years to:

• make sure you’re able to maintain your current level of support with your ILF money
• see if there have been any changes since their last visit

You can ask a friend, relative or your personal assistant to be present at any of the visits.

• Record keeping (individuals and directors)

Your ILF payments - how they are reviewed

ILF payments are reviewed using a number of steps:

Step 1

The ILF will contact you to tell you that it would like to visit you to review your needs. It will send you a form called a financial information form. It asks you about any money or capital you have and about the benefits you receive.

Step 2

The ILF assessor or your social worker will contact you to arrange a day and time to visit you. If you have a Power of Attorney or a Benefits Appointee, they must be there as well.

Step 3

At the visit, the assessor and your social worker will talk to you about how you're managing with the money you get from the ILF. You will also need to show the invoices and records you keep.

Step 4

Based on this information, the ILF will work out whether it can make you a revised offer. Please note that at present, the ILF will not normally be able to increase your funding.

Step 5

The ILF will write to tell you if it can make you a new offer. It may take up to three months to carry out this process. While it reviews your funding, you will still get your normal amount of money.

• Download 'Financial information form' (PDF, 964K) Opens new window

• Help with PDF files

What you should do if your care costs change

Over time, you may find that your care costs change because:

• somebody who has been giving you support cannot carry on
• your condition has changed

Sometimes the cost of your care might change even if your care needs have not. The ILF will not normally be able to meet increases in care costs or the amount of care you need. The ILF will consider the following costs if you employ personal assistants:

• payroll
• CRB checks
• employer’s liability insurance
• health and safety training
• legal fees
• National Insurance contributions
• holiday pay
• termination of employment costs
• task/on the job training
• sick pay
• National Minimum Wage

The ILF will consider the following costs whether you employ personal assistants or use a care agency:

• financial management
• bank holidays

If your care arrangements change, you need to tell the ILF:

• how many hours of care you have each week
• how much this care costs
• who will be giving you the help
• the most recent information about your money, income and benefits

You will find further information on the ‘Financial information’ form.

• Download 'Financial information form' (PDF, 964K) Opens new window

• Help with PDF files

How the ILF works out how much money you need

Once you have given the ILF all the information it needs, it will review any requests for increases in employer costs. This can include payroll, training, sick pay costs etc. The page ‘The Independent Living Fund – how your payments are calculated’ contains more details about what type of costs will be considered.

It will also take into account the money you have and the benefits you receive and decide how much you should pay towards your care.

It may take the ILF up to eight weeks to make a decision. During this time you can contact them to check on the progress.

• The Independent Living Fund - how your payments are calculated

• Independent Living Fund contact details

More useful links

• The Independent Living Fund

• Managing and using your Independent Living Fund payment

• The Independent Living Fund - how your payments are calculated