Attendance allowance at age 16: time for review

Cooke, Anthony Carlton; Hirst, Michael; Bradshaw, Jonathan

doi:10.1111/j.1365-2214.1987.tb00534.x

Cited by 2 publications

(1 citation statement)

References 5 publications

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“…In 1994/5 nearly half a million initial claims for DLA were decided: almost half resulted in a first award and a majority were rejected (Department of Social Security 1995). From the outset, concern was expressed about possible variations in the administration of DLA (Hadjipateras 1993) reflecting earlier debates about the former attendance allowance and the problem of administering tests of disability consistently and equitably (Bradshaw and Lawton 1980;Brown 1984;Buckle 1986;Cooke et al 1987;Duckworth 1984;Hirst 1986;National Audit Office 1992). More recently, evidence of anomalies in the distribution of DLA awards (Daly and Noble 1996) and the treatment of claimants with mental health problems (Hirst and Sainsbury 1996) have been examined.…”

Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Variations in the Administration of Disability Living Allowance

Hirst

1997

Soc Policy Adm

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Disability living allowance (DLA), which aims to help meet some of the extra costs that disabled people have, raises questions of equity. One such question is whether DLA helps disabled people maintain similar living standards to those of non-disabled people. A separate question, and the focus of this paper, is whether claimants in similar circumstances or with similar needs are treated equitably. Drawing on a large-scale survey, the findings indicate that claimants with similar needs according to the rules on entitlement were, for the most part, treated alike. The adjudication of new criteria on periodic needs for personal care or for help preparing a cooked meal appears to be less consistent. Whether claimants with similar needs in respect of these criteria received an award depended in part on where their claim was administered. The use of medical evidence to determine claims and the treatment of those deemed to be non-claimants also varied considerably. Efforts to improve consistency in decision-making have now been introduced. Recent developments in information technology also offer the prospect of greater consistency and cost savings. Even if the allowance were administered consistently, however, disabled people with similar extra costs would not necessarily be treated equitably. It is argued that cash benefits for disabled people should be developed within a comprehensive system of local services and support to secure their social integration and personal autonomy. In the meantime, claimants and their advisers need to be prepared to follow up claims and challenge inappropriate decisions.

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Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Variations in the Administration of Disability Living Allowance

Hirst

1997

Soc Policy Adm

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Employment Patterns of Mothers with a Disabled Young Person

Hirst

1992

Work, Employment and Society

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This paper investigates the effect of caring for a disabled teenager or young adult on mothers' employment patterns. Cross-sectional data on over 900 mothers of a nationally representative sample of young people were obtained by personal interview in early 1987. The sample was stratified between mothers with and without a disabled young person. The mothers of severely disabled young people were less than half as likely as their counterparts in the general population to be in paid work, after controlling for age, family size, and their partners' economic activity. Mothers with a less than severely disabled young person were just as likely to be working as mothers in the general population. There was no evidence that mothers with a disabled young person were limited to part-time, lower-paid jobs. These findings help to reconcile some of the discrepancies apparent in previous research. They also have important implications for the living standards of families with a disabled teenager and for the role of social security provision for informal carers.

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Attendance allowance at age 16: time for review

Cited by 2 publications

References 5 publications

Variations in the Administration of Disability Living Allowance

Variations in the Administration of Disability Living Allowance

Employment Patterns of Mothers with a Disabled Young Person

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