Local authorities may make a charge for the services that they provide. Even clients in receipt of Income Support and who have disability benefits may have a small charge to pay so it is important to bear this in mind when assessing the affordability of various housing options.
This may be available where clients:
The Independent Living Fund, a trust set up and financed by central government to support long term independent living for severely disabled people, can pay a maximum of £395 per week on top of the social work and the client's assessed contribution. In all cases a client would be expected to contribute half of the care element of the DLA and all of the severe disability premium. Because of this, clients considering ownership and who will be in receipt of ILF payments will need to rigorously check the affordability of ownership considering the effect on their benefits or ask if some or all charges can be waived.
If the local authority social work department agrees that a disabled client has support needs then the Community Care and Health (Scotland) Act 2002 puts a duty on the local authority to offer Direct Payments. Direct Payments can increase the amount of choice, control and flexibility that disabled people have over the way they live their lives.
A Direct Payment is money that the social work department can give to a disabled client as a way of getting the support they need. The client uses the money to buy the services they want. This could be having support during the day instead of going to a day centre; having support to live in their own home, instead of a care home; having their own support worker, sometimes called a personal assistant, instead of using services.
A client can have a Direct Payment for all their support or part of it, with the social work department arranging the rest.
Supporting People is administered by local authorities and is used to fund the eligible support services required by individuals with particular needs, including disabled people. For further information see www.scotland.gov.uk/housing/supportingpeople.
