9 February 2005 - Independent Living Funds new Trustee information
Minister for Disabled People Maria Eagle today announced the appointment of a new Trustee for the Independent Living Funds.
Mr Michael Boyall has been appointed to the Board of Trustees from 1 February 2005.
There are two Independent Living Funds operating throughout the United Kingdom paying grants to people with high support needs who wish to live independently. The Independent Living (1993) Fund is open to new applicants and currently supports a caseload of around 11,000 people. The Independent Living (Extension Fund) supports those people who received help from the original Independent Living Fund which closed in 1993. The Extension Fund case load is around 5600.
The Funds are discretionary Trusts created and funded by the Department for Work and Pensions and Department for Social Development (Northern Ireland) but operating at arms length from Government. They are financed by cash limited grants-in-aid and each is managed by a Board of Trustees appointed by the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions. The Trustees have discretion about whom they help within the framework of the Trust Deeds. Their budget for 2004/2005 is over £211 million.
There are seven Trustees. They are unpaid but are entitled to be reimbursed for all reasonable and proper expenses incurred in carrying out their duties.
Notes for editors
- Mr Boyall is a qualified accountant and currently works as an Ombudsman at the Financial Ombudsman Service, where he makes decisions on disputes between members of the public and firms in the financial services industry. Mr Boyall previously worked as a Deputy Director at the Department for Trade and Industry (DTI) and as an Officer of the High Court when he was also Head of the Public Interest Unit at the Insolvency Service. Mr Boyall has a keen interest in disability issues, and his extensive experience in public services has given him first hand experience of dealing with disadvantaged groups.
- Independent Living Funds' address: PO Box 7525, Nottingham NG2 4ZT; Telephone: 0845 601 8815 E mail: funds@ilf.org.uk; Website: www.ilf.org.uk
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