“We needed to ensure a degree of equality between those who wished to join the scheme, and other service users. If someone was assessed to need about 20 hours a week, whether it was through a homecare service or independent living, then those individuals using the scheme had the freedom to utilise the money flexibly in the way that they wanted.”
Jenny Webb had recently been appointed as Assistant Director of Social Services for Kingston when Ann Macfarlane and Jane Campbell proposed the Independent Living Scheme. Jenny was a great supporter of the idea and worked tirelessly to help initiate a pilot scheme, and then to roll out the Direct Payments offer to the wider community.
