Independent living hope

Priya Kotecha, August 2006 A cross-government review looks set to put independent living (IL) for disabled people at the heart of the political agenda. A review of government policy on IL was announced during the second reading of Lord Ashley’s Disabled Persons (Independent Living) Bill, in the Lords. Led by the Office for Disability Issues, the review will gather views from local and central government and disabled people and their organisations, on how the government can use IL to develop “imaginative new solutions in health, social care, transport, employment and housing”.The review, to be chaired by Dame Jane Campbell – co-founder of the National Centre for Independent Living (NCIL) – comes in response to recommendations in the the Improving Life Chances report, produced by the prime minister’s strategy unit in January 2005.Announcing the review, Baroness Royall of Blaisdon, a government health spokeswoman, said: “IL is a reality for some disabled people in spite of the disabling barriers that still exist. However, in its fullest sense, IL is still a dream for too many.” But disabled people voiced their frustrations at an IL conference organised by the NCIL. Sue Bott, national strategic director for NCIL, said afterwards: “Disabled people are asking, ‘how many reviews do we have to have? We only have one chance of living our life. How long can we realistically wait until things are put right and disabled people have the chance to a full life?'”But she said the review should be welcomed if it “helped to increase government understanding of what IL means”. Delegates hoped the review would trigger government support for the bill. But Anne McGuire, minister for disabled people, reportedly told the conference the government had reservations about how much the bill would cost to implement. Simone Aspis, parliamentary and campaigns worker for the British Council of Disabled People, said she looked forward to a review being carried out “in line with what disabled people want and what is in the IL bill”. The DRC is preparing a “cost-benefit analysis” of the bill, which should be available in time to be considered for the government’s comprehensive spending review next year.Meanwhile, NCIL and the Association of Directors of Social Services signed a revised protocol aimed at encouraging local authorities to understand the contribution made by centres for independent living and user-led organisations. It also urges councils to create a level playing field for local user-led organisations that bid for contracts to provide services.