Moving on: Independent living
“I used to believe that because I needed help going to the toilet, couldn’t hoover the carpet or boil an egg, I’d never live on my own and I’d never be independent. Then when I was nineteen, I met other disabled people at university. They said, ‘Hold on. You can get support and you can get people to assist you to live the sort of life that you want.’" Liz
‘Independent Living’ is the ability to decide what a person wants, where to live and how, what to do, and how to set about doing it. However, it’s not for everyone – some people prefer to do things differently, and as long is it’s their choice, that’s fine.
If you do want to try independent living, there’s a lot of help available. A key difficulty is that you need to know the right questions in order to get answers. But remember, you don’t have to do everything at once. If you’re not ready right now, the more you find out, the better equipped you’ll be to make the right decisions in future.
Direct Payment and how it can help
The Carers and Disabled Children’s Act 2001 enables Local Authorities to pay cash instead of services to disabled people from the age of 16. Parents of a disabled child under the age of 16 or up to 18 can also receive direct payments on behalf of their child to support them – and carers from 16 to 18.
Direct payment is quite separate from Disability Living Allowance and Carers Allowance, which you would be entitled to regardless of direct payment. Direct payment is not a taxable benefit but another way of getting your needs met. You can use a mix of direct payment and traditional services.
In order to receive direct payment, you have to get an assessment.
With direct payment, you can employ personal assistant(s). You select who assists you – and how. But you can’t employ anybody living in the same house. And you can’t usually pay relatives, even if you don’t live in the same house.
With choice comes responsibility. You recruit someone, pay them (including sick and holiday pay). You must have insurance. You have to consider health and safety issues. And you’ve got to train people so that they know what you want. You can do these things alone or with assistance. You don’t have to all these things on your own.
Why use direct payment?
It may take some getting used to, some organisation, but the benefits can be huge.
”I can get up when I want, go out when I want, do the things that I want, with the people that I want and go to bed when I want”.
Further informaion
If you want to see your story, poem, ideas or review here, email alex@ataxia.org.uk.
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