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Independent Living Fund cuts will make me a prisoner in my home

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As Monzur Miah feared becoming a prisoner in his own home, he joined a group of people in wheelchairs who tried to storm the House of Commons.

Now the 35-year-old from Walsall, who has cerebral palsy, is hoping his message has got through to the government after it decided to close the £320 million Independent Living Fund.

This week the money was handed over to local councils, but many have not put in place any rules to keep it specifically for the 18,000 severely disabled people it was originally intended for - a procedure called 'ring-fencing'.

Mr Miah, of Attlee Road, speaks with the aid of a voice synthesiser and relies upon a personal assistant, paid for by the ILF. Without him, he would not be able to go out to college or even go to church.

"This is a difficult time for disabled people," he said.

"The closure of the Independent Living Fund does not mean the councils have to ring-fence the money. They can do what they like with it.

"The Department for Work and Pensions says we are scaring people but we are not.

"The ILF means I can go out to college, to church and on holiday.

"For me it is worth £458 a week.

"This government has not thought about it. It should have been ring-fenced.

Monzur Miah speaks with a voice synthesiser

"We have been to court and it has not changed anything."

Mr Miah joined the group Disabled People Against Cuts to go to Parliament last Wednesday.

The group, including eight people in wheelchairs, attempted to get into the chamber of the House of Commons during Prime Minister's Questions.

Monzur Miah at the protest in Parliament

They were stopped by police and escorted outside where they stopped traffic.

"I was not scared," said Mr Miah.

"We had already tried the court case. We had tried talking. We needed to be heard.

"My life would be a prison without this."

Mr Miah has been able to go to Walsall College and take courses in English and maths.

He is a devout Christian who goes to The Church At Junction 10.

The fund currently allows him to go out every day of the week thanks to his personal assistant, who has been with him for 10 years.

Five assessments have been carried out on Mr Miah over the past year to work out how he should be supported financially now.

In a plea to David Cameron and work and pensions secretary Iain Duncan Smith, he said: "Please ringfence the ILF. You should have talked to disabled people more before you did this. If the money was ring-fenced it would help people."

Councillor Eddie Hughes, portfolio holder for care and safeguarding at Walsall Council, said: "There are 56 people living in Walsall who currently receive the Independent Living Fund.

Stopping traffic outside Parliament. CREDIT: @paulapeters2, Twitter

"The level of support needs for each user is being identified between now and August 31 and we will be in contact with those who had been receiving government funding through ILF for this. We will ensure their current support continues until we have completed our assessments and agreed by August 31 on the long term support necessary to meet their eligible needs. We will ensure that the needs of each user is supported through individual tailored care packages, that meet the legal entitlements in line with the Care Act. The government transfer of funding from 1 July is 10 per cent less than previous ILF allocations, and lasts until 31 March 2016."

Wolverhampton council will not ring-fence the money. It has 79 people who rely on its allocation of £780,000.

Spokesman Paul Brown said: "Though this money is no longer ring-fenced, it will continue to be used as part of the broader social care budget to meet the eligible needs of those who formerly received support through the Independent Living Fund."

Dudley Council has said it will ring-fence the money. It is now paying 66 clients a weekly equivalent of £22,157.65 of the former ILF.

Sandwell has been allocated £1,189,112.43 which has been 'ring-fenced for adult social care'. It currently has 75 clients in receipt of ILF.

Staffordshire County Council has not yet made a decision on whether or not to ring-fence the money but is continuing to pay as normal.

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