ILA - supporting and representing disabled people in West Sussex

What we do, and why

Link to introduction
Link to services
Link to news & briefing
Link to newsletters
Link to conference
Link to documents
Link to recruitment
Link to membership form
Link to contact details


Learning disability?

Click here for an easier description (or alt.d)

Layout picture, child with helper

Layout picture, woman in wheelchair

The Independent Living Association is a not-for-profit organisation promoting and supporting independence for disabled people in West Sussex.

We help people set up and run their own care support under the county's Direct Payments (DP) scheme, personal budgets and other forms of self-directed support.

We also seek to champion the interests of disabled people and their carers and achieve positive change in social attitudes to disability. The charity takes a leading role in disability service development and is the Centre for Independent Living (CIL) for West Sussex

We're an organisation of (not just for) disabled people and carers, led by the people it represents - the ILA's constitution requires that disabled people and carers make up the majority of its membership and committees.

Our principles

  • Disabled people have the same rights as all citizens.
  • Independent living means having choice over everyday life. It doesn't mean doing without assistance, but exercising control over that assistance.
  • Independent living doesn't mean just living in the community rather than in institutions - it is being able to decide where and how to live.
  • We are committed to removing the barriers that can restrict ordinary life. Not just physical barriers, but also society's attitudes and assumptions and the way society runs its services and organisations.
  • We subscribe to the 'social model' of disability.

Our trustees

Click here for more information about trustees (or alt.x)