Independent living fund - how are people supposed to cope if it goes?

I am posting this from an email from 'Diary of a Benefit Scrounger'.

Please take 12.53 mins to watch Mary's story. I am also posting a direct link to the video.

vimeo.com/79330726

Many blessings to you all.

Diary of a Benefit Scrounger

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Just watch this. Please

Posted: 02 Dec 2013 02:06 AM PST

You might not have read my blog before. Or you might have read it a few times, sympathised, but found it all too sad and shocking to keep up with. You might have stopped clicking on the links on a busy Monday morning, or a perfect, crisp, cold winter's Sunday. You might think you get the general gist and don't want constant reminders of how unpleasant politics can be.

But today, just watch this short film. I promise, you won't have seen anything like it.

The Independent Living Fund (ILF) was a fund set up to help only those with the most profound disabilities, requiring almost constant care, to stay in their own homes for as long as they possibly can. It helped just 20,000 people with the most intense care needs at an average of around £300 per month, saving councils up and down the country much, much more in residential care.

But one of the first decisions taken by this government was to scrap the fund. Even if you believe passionately in Iain Duncan-Smith and David Cameron's welfare "reforms", you probably believe that the "most vulnerable" are excluded, as they've assured you all along that they would be. You almost certainly believe that "support is being targeted at those that need it most". Because that's what you've been told, in a loop, since 2010.

Well, though sick and disabled people hate the word, few are more "vulnerable" than those who had help from the ILF. It has been closed to new applicants since 2010 and will be scrapped for existing users from 2015.

To really understand what I've been trying to tell you since 2010, please, just watch the film. It's just 15 minutes long and says more than I ever could in a million words.

If it touches you, as it did me, can I ask you a favour? Send it to just 2 people you love. And ask them to send it to two people they love. Ask them to watch it for you, as an early Xmas present and to pass it on. Not the usual twitter and facebook links, preaching to the already converted, but to someone you know won't be aware of the extraordinary battle sick and disabled people are fighting, up and down the country.

I know that the British public care. I know they would not want this. Please, help me tell them?

CLICK HERE TO VIEW

[crop]

Oh my! Thank you so much off posting that. It's so emotional. Makes me realise how blessed I am in spite of my fibro and how vital it is that the government is not allowed to get rid of the ILF. Mary is an inspiration x

[Hidden in reply to crop]

I totally agree with you. Mary is a real inspiration and the real face of what is really going on in the benefits system.

[Royalspec01]

Ty it helps me to realise how important the nhs and all related help to our needs as human beings that this country has systems for is essential to fight to keep it just saddens and scares me to think that the financial side that the government mucks up on is creating this recession people need it all so much. It is quite a powerful film subtle yet easy to understand ty

[Hidden in reply to Royalspec01]

No problem. Health should be the focus, not money and greed within the system.

[tettridge]

Hi all

Watched it, I know how she feels to some extent, as our lives become more and more needing other people to let us function on a daily basis our lives are becoming less of our own. then when other people start messing with our lives then we start to wonder why we are here and that is when we need our family and our friends in the real world as well as the ones on these communities.

I have seen more than one person who has nearly buckled under the stress of all the fighting, that is needed to try to live with limited mobility.

I can only hold my hands up to these wonderful people who put their selves in this kind of situation for everyone as she is not doing it just for herself but to show what is needed to help us disabled low income people.

I suppose if you have the money to enlist the aid of a load of people to assist you in living it is not so bad but when you need the assistance of the government then that is when it is most disheartening.

Once again thank you for bringing it up into our sight.

Take care and kindest regards

Terry

[Hidden in reply to tettridge]

No problem. I had to share this when I saw it as I know so many people are affected. I really do feel that even though I have health and mobility problems, I am blessed not to be in such a positoin as Mary. I can still get on my scooter sometimes and get out.

Many of us have our own battles with the system but her story really put it in perspective for me and reminded me that there are always people worse off than I am and I should be grateful for what I have every day.

It's a shame that things have to be this way even though it is none of our making whilst the fat cat bankers keep getting fatter etc. No austerity for them!

I wish I could personally thank all the carers who also give their time to help people in need. The work they do is under-appreciated and under-paid.

Many blessings to you