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 The Government will today announce plans to transform the lives of disabled people, including extra funding for organisations that are run by disabled people.

The 'Independent Living Strategy', a cross-government strategy which underlines the Government's commitment to supporting disabled people to do the things non-disabled people take for granted, is published today by the Office for Disability Issues. It was developed in partnership with disabled people and aims to give them more choice and control over the support they need and greater access to employment, transport, health and housing opportunities.

Welcoming the Strategy, Prime Minister Gordon Brown said:

"We are committed to a vision of equality for all disabled people by 2025. A vision for Britain where all citizens are respected and included as equal members, and where everyone has the opportunity to fulfil their potential.

"This Strategy sets out how we will make progress towards achieving that goal. Transferring power to those needing support and joining up services to ensure this happens, changes the way in which support and services are delivered and experienced. It unlocks opportunities, enables people to participate and contribute, and strengthens our communities."

The Strategy shows how six central government departments will work with disabled people and their organisations to ensure they have the opportunities others take for granted.

Pulling together recent Government initiatives on employment, housing and social care to remove barriers and to improve access to services, it makes a series of new commitments including:

* Demonstrating how to move resources from professional assessment and care management to user-led support, advocacy and brokerage so people get the right support to make decisions for themselves.

* A regional initiative to develop independent living opportunities for older disabled people with high levels of support needs.

* Developing a national strategy to enable people to remain in employment when they acquire an impairment or their condition worsens.

* An awareness campaign aimed at practitioners, in social work, the NHS and elsewhere and disabled people themselves, to ensure that health, social care and other services are delivered in ways which will give disabled people more choice and control over how their needs are met.

* A new toolkit to assist the development of local independent living strategies for and with older disabled people.

* Good practice guidance to enable people to have choice and control over their continuing health care.

Secretary of State for Work and Pensions James Purnell said:

"Disabled people should have the same choice and control over how they live their lives as everyone else.

"The Strategy is unique as it was developed in partnership with disabled people from the outset, to ensure it reflects their real life experiences and has drawn on their expertise to identify how to address the barriers they face.

"I welcome it as it moves beyond the usual practice of consulting people on policy proposals, to involving disabled people right from the start. It is also a powerful illustration of cross government working."

In addition, the Department of Health will today announce extra funding for 12 user-led organisations that help disabled people to have more choice and control over their lives. User-led organisations are led and controlled by disabled people and are committed to their civil rights.

Health and Care Services Minister Ivan Lewis said:

"User-led Organisations are key to achieving independent living for disabled people. Today's announcement is a step toward a more self-sufficient system for disabled people to lead their own lives, with the availability of advocacy support if it is needed. The best practice resulting from the organisations receiving this grant will be shared to ensure every locality has the chance to develop and have access to a user-led organisation."

The Independent Living Review was launched in July 2006. Its aim was to find imaginative ways of supporting independent living for disabled people. It was a cross-government project led by the Office for Disability Issues. It is the work of that Review that has led to today's Strategy.

The Independent Living Strategy is designed to make a real and measurable impact on the lives of disabled people. A commitment is written into the strategy to monitor its impact, year-on-year, in partnership with disabled people.