News

All of the staff at a leading user-run disability organisation have been issued with redundancy notices after it revealed that it is facing serious financial difficulties.

Unless the National Centre for Independent Living is able to find alternative sources of funding, it will not have adequate resources to meet its current operating costs beyond the end of March.

NCIL said it was coming to the end of its current grant from the Department of Health Direct Payments Development Fund and was awaiting news on future funding.

“In part some expected decisions have been delayed due to circumstances beyond the organisation’s control,” it said in a statement.

But NCIL co-chair Dave Morris said he was “confident” that the financial difficulties would be sorted out, enabling NCIL to continue to operate at the same level after the end of March.

NCIL said it was currently working with a range of organisations and individuals to try to work out a short-term solution, and was also working with the government to ensure that it could continue its work in the long-term.

Morris said NCIL had been forced to issue the redundancy notices because it had to meet various legal obligations, but that the situation could end up with no staff losing their jobs.

Jane Campbell, a member of NCIL’s board and a previous chief executive of the organisation, called for the social care sector to gain a better understanding of the support required by user-led organisations.

A Department of Health spokesperson said it was aware of NCIL’s position and was committed to working with its staff to try to resolve the issues.