Inclusive Communities

Independent Living for Disabled People

In the 1990s, the Barrow Cadbury Trust initiated work to promote the concept of independent living.

Independent living is the right for disabled people to choose the practical assistance that they feel is most useful for them, in particular by accessing direct payments. While promoting this concept, the Barrow Cadbury Trust ensured that the voices of people who would directly benefit from independent living were represented at the policy level.

In 2005, the government launched a green paper on disability, which included a commitment to independent living and direct payments. The Barrow Cadbury Trust hosted a high level seminar to explore how the green paper could best be implemented. The government acted on many of the seminar recommendations and independent living and direct payments have been incorporated into government policy.

The Barrow Cadbury Trust continues to support voluntary and community groups working to ensure government policy is put into practice and direct payments are accessed by people on the ground.