Minister slates changes to payouts for disabled

CHANGES to a fund that supports disabled people will discriminate against the most vulnerable in society, a Scottish Government minister claimed yesterday.

Public Health Minister Shona Robison is concerned that eligibility rules for the UK's Independent Living Fund (ILF) are being tightened, meaning only those working 16 hours or more a week in paid employment can apply.

In a letter to UK Work and Pensions Secretary Yvette Cooper, she complained Scottish ministers had been left out of consultation on the changes.

Ms Robison wrote: "These changes will exclude the applications of severely disabled individuals with newly-assessed needs. Supporting these individuals is supposed to be the main focus of the ILF. Excluding new applications in this way discriminates against the most vulnerable people in our society."

A spokesman for Ms Robison said ILF income is worth 61 million in Scotland, 17 per cent of the fund's UK budget.

Ms Robison added: "In Scotland, our best estimate is only four individuals will be eligible for ILF based on these criteria in the coming year. There is no reason to believe that this will not be reflected across the UK."