A prominent disability campaigner has said he is "gutted" after the High Court ruled the Government's decision to close a fund that supports independent living was lawful.

Musician and wheelchair user John Kelly, from Wimbledon, was in court yesterday to hear the ruling on the Independent Living Fund (ILF), which helps disabled people live and work.

The Government has argued ILF funding is not needed because disabled people are already supported through the adult social care system. The fund is due to close on June 30 next year.

Speaking after the decision yesterday, Mr Kelly said: "I feel angry more than anything because it proves that the Government actually knew that the decision they were making would have a detrimental impact on disabled people.

"The judge said that although she had sympathies with our cause, her power was quite limited in what she can do and that's quite an indictment on the Government."

The funding will now be transferred to councils, who will have the power to decide how it is distributed.

However, ILF users are concerned the funds won't be ring-fenced after the Government announced severe funding cuts to local authorities.

Lyla Adwan-Kamara, chief executive of Merton Centre for Independent Living, said: "It's very disappointing news.

"Merton Council has informed me that there are 20 IFL users and they will write to them in January to discuss what's happening next but that's quite a long time and will be a period of great anxiety.

"The changes are happening at the same time as quite significant projected cuts to adult social care so that's something that's very disturbing as well because of the combination of all these different cuts to disabled people in the borough."

Merton's cabinet approved plans last night to cut more than £5m from the adult social care budget over the next five years, as it struggles to find £32m of savings.

Mr Kelly, a full-time artist who has sung alongside the Blockheads and on major stages around the globe, is worried he will not be able to work after the fund, which allows him to employ four part-time personal assistants, is cut.

John Kelly playing in his band Rockinpaddy in Morden earlier this year. Video: Hanna Tlatlik

His assistants help with all the day-to-day physical assistance he needs to get out of bed, cook, organise his home and get around.

Without the fund, the council would still have to provide this support, but he would lose choice and control over how that assistance is managed.

He said: "I just want to get on with my life and get on with being a musician. I have never asked or looked for the job of a campaigner.

"I want to be a musician and an artist and get on with my work and my life and all these intrusions are taking away the things that I need to live my life.

"What the ILF does is it gives you a quality of independence so you have choice and control and I'm going to be losing that."

Councillor Caroline Cooper-Marbiah, cabinet member for adult social care and health, said: “We are committed to supporting our residents who are affected by the changes to the Independent Living Fund, helping them to live independent lives.

"We will be writing to them shortly about the Government changes and in January we’ll be having discussions with each of them to address any concerns they may have and to speak to them about how we will support them in the future.”