Disabled to gain more control in state funding shake-up

Under the so-called Right to Control programme, disabled people will be able to combine money from different schemes, giving them a more personalised service, joining up housing, employment and community care.

The Department for Work and Pensions said advice will be available to help people choose services and decide how to spend their money if they want to change the support they currently receive.

Minister for Disabled People Maria Miller, said: "This is about increasing personalisation and putting disabled people in charge of their own decision making, instead of telling them what they can and can't spend their money on."

Trailblazers, partnerships between local authorities, Jobcentre Plus and disabled people's organisations will work with disabled people to develop individual support plans. Each plan will make effective use of all the funding available to an individual, to meet their goals.

Around 7m will be spent making changes to deliver the Right to Control programme, which will be launched today by Essex County Council, Leicester City Council, the London Boroughs of Barnet and Newham, Epsom and Ewell Borough Council and Reigate and Banstead Borough Council in Surrey.