On the 27th March I wrote about a case being presented to the High court. This court case centred on the government’s plans to change the structure of the Independent Living Fund; switching the responsibility from the government to the local council.
The five Complainants, and other disabled people claimed that the consultation process was flawed, the councils could not afford to fund this scheme, and that the funding would not be ringed fenced. The five also argued that the government broke their equality duty by not exploring the true effects of this policy on disabled people. They argued that this would leave many severely disabled people without much needed care.
The court decision went against the complainants, the judge arguing that he was unconvinced that the government’s consultation process was flawed. He therefore concluded that the government had complied with their equality duty. The complainants state that they will appeal and so it will go on.
By Victoria Richards
Further details
http://www.guardian.co.uk/commentisfree/2013/apr/24/disability-ruling-new-depths-dishonesty
http://m.guardian.co.uk/uk/2013/apr/24/disable-appeal-independent-living-fund
