Two free events – taking place in October – aimed at supporting personal assistants and Micro Providers in East Sussex have been announced. East Sussex County Council has organised two events in Eastbourne and Bexhill in October. These events have been designed to provide guidance, networking opportunities and support to personal assistants and Micro Providers

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In our latest story of Independent Lives, we spoke to Neeraj. Neeraj lives in Southampton with his family and has been a PA since 2019. While working in America as a dentist, Neeraj met his wife, and had planned to live with her in America once they had married, but when he met her family,

Paralympics logo consisting of three curved shapes in red, blue, and green

In her latest post, our comms volunteer Sarah explores the history of the Paralympics, the impact the games have had on societal issues towards disability and disabled people, and the challenges they still face. There is good news on the horizon for sports fans as the Paralympics begin on 28 August bringing another chance to

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In our latest blog article, our comms volunteer Sarah looks at the plan proposed by ADASS (Association of Directors of Adult Social Services) to address the current issues facing the UK’s health and social care system Now there is a new Government in power, many of us will be wondering what their plans are to

Stylised magnifying glass icon on pink background related to a Direct Payment study

Jilesh Kunnumpurath, a PHD student from the University of Birmingham, is carrying out research on how effective Direct Payments are for individuals in Black and Minority Ethnic communities. Direct Payments have been in place for over twenty years, and in that time, they have become a cornerstone of personalised care. Giving thousands of disabled people

It’s now July, which brings with it a celebration that many may not be aware of. July is Disability Pride Month, an event that began in America over 30 years ago and is celebrated in many other countries, including the UK. So how did it all start? The origins of Disability Pride Month Disability Pride

Close-up of a document with the word 'Policy' at the top. A green highlighter is shown marking the word 'policy' in a list that includes 'government' and other partially visible terms. This image represents the focus on policy analysis and consultation, particularly relevant to the discussion of the PIP reform green paper and proposed changes to the disability benefit.

Do you claim Personal Independence Payment (PIP) or are you a carer for someone who does? Would you like to share your views on the government’s latest proposals to ‘modernise’ the benefit system? The latest health and disability green paper proposes significant changes to the disability benefit PIP. A green paper is a type of

People always ask me, ‘Well don’t you get your prescriptions free because of your impairment?’.  The answer is ‘no’. Unfortunately a lot of chronic health conditions do not meet the criteria for a medical exemption card as it is a surprisingly short list. So, it is important to know that there is another option. With

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Independent Lives has today released a comprehensive report detailing the severe impact of the cost-of-living crisis on disabled people and carers in Sussex. The research, conducted over 12 months and funded by NHS Health Education England, reveals a community struggling to manage their most basic needs: Disabled people and carers forced to make difficult choices

Independent Lives’ care team has won the prestigious care team award at the highly esteemed 2024 West Sussex Partners in Care (WSPiC) awards. This significant accolade underscores the team’s outstanding dedication and innovative care to individuals across the county. The award highlights several remarkable achievements by the care team over the past year. During the