Government announces funding for disabled

The Department of Health has announced that it is supplying £900,000 worth of funding to help disabled people work and lead more independent lives.

A new support programme has also been launched for councils that will work with leaders in the adult social care field to help councils transform systems and provide users with more control over the care they receive.

The first product is a new Personalisation Resource Toolkit that will provide local authorities with advice and examples of best practice as they start to move towards a more personalised system of care.

Launching the new funding and support initiative, minister for care services Ivan Lewis stated: “The extra funding will assist user-led organisations to develop and improve their capacity and long term sustainability.

The best practice resulting from the Action and Learning Sites will be shared to ensure that every locality has the chance to develop and have access to a user-led organisation.”

Speaking at an Office for Disability Issues consultation event on delivery of the Independent Living Strategy, he added that new funding will help as many as 14 user-led organisations become new Action and Learning Sites. A total of 12 sites were announced in March this year and the government is hoping that the second wave of funding will encourage more organisations to become involved in the scheme.

MP for Prestwich, Ivan Lewis has previously worked in the local voluntary sector for Outreach, Contact Community Group and as chief executive of the Manchester Jewish federation.