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This page tells you how the Independent Living Schemes started.
Early in 1994, we started out as the Personal Assistance Scheme, originally established as a result of a County Council initiative through North Yorkshire Social Services. Up until that time, disabled people's homes were like railways stations with different agencies providing staff to meet their care needs. By becoming employers of their own personal assistants, disabled people gained independence, choice and control. The local council provided funding for their personal assistance through the Personal Assistance Scheme who also, and still do, provide a complete support service to disabled employers in the employment of their personal assistants, including recruitment, contracts of employment and payroll service, etc. At the time it was illegal for councils to pay disabled people direct for them to meet their care needs and the Personal Assistance Scheme was a third party scheme.
In 1996, the Community Care (Direct Payments) Act enabled councils to offer Direct Payments to eligible people wanting them. Currently this includes disabled people aged 16 or over and a person with parental responsibility for a disabled child. Eligible people have to be able to consent to a Direct Payment but, if they are unable to manage their Direct Payment, they can appoint an “agent” who can receive the Direct Payment on their behalf.