A recommendation from our ongoing Smart Homes and Independent Living Commission to incorporate technology  into updated guidance for the Disabled Facilities Grant (DFG) has been accepted in the Care White Paper. 

One of the emerging findings of the ongoing Commission is that the Disabled Facilities Grant should more consistently be used to help people take advantage of technology to live independently. To ensure this happens we recommended that the government's new DFG guidance should contain advice on technology so social workers, occupational therapists, service commissioners and other professionals understand how Grant recipients can benefit from tech. Clive Gilbert, Policy Manager for Assistive and Accessible Technology (ATech), met with officials to brief them on these emerging findings and recommendations of this ongoing Commission, and we’re pleased to see the Commission already making an impact, as reflected in the White Paper.  

Another proposal from the White Paper is to invest at least £150 million of additional funding over the next three years to drive digitisation across the sector; and unlock the potential of tech innovation that enables preventative care and independent living. The Smart Homes and Independent Living Commission will follow the progress of this proposal with interest. 

Policy Connect's Smart Homes and Independent Living Commission is sponsored by Bournemouth University and Coventry University. The full report from the Commission will be published next Spring and launched at meeting of The All-Party Parliamentary Group for Assistive Technology.  In addition, The All-Party Parliamentary Health Group will meet to discuss reactions to the Care White Paper more broadly in January.