The impact of Disability Living Allowance and Attendance Allowance

154 Pages·2010·0.49 MB·English

503xxx_Cover_649.qxp 20/04/2010 09:01 Page 1
Research Report
This report presents findings from qualitative research on Disability Living Allowance (DLA)
and Attendance Allowance (AA) recipients. This report investigates the use of these
benefits and the impact they have on people's lives. Findings can contribute to the
development of questions that might be used in further surveys about the benefits.
Discussion groups were undertaken with 24 professionals and advisers in touch with
people who claim or may be entitled to claim DLA or AA. Face-to-face qualitative
interviews with 15 adult DLA recipients, 15 AA recipients and 15 parents of child recipients
were also carried out to explore how they use the benefits. This was followed by a
desk-based review of relevant survey instruments.
If you would like to know more about DWP research, please contact:
Paul Noakes, Commercial Support and Knowledge Management Team,
3rd Floor, Caxton House, Tothil Street, London SW1H 9NA The impact of Disability Living
http://research.dwp.gov.uk/asd/asd5/rrs-index.asp
Allowance and Attendance
Allowance: Findings from exploratory
qualitative research
by Anne Corden, Roy Sainsbury, Annie Irvine
and Sue Clarke
Research Report No. 649
ISBN 978-1-84712-756-3
The impact of Disability Living Allowance and Attendance Allowance: Findings from
DWP Research Report No. 649 exploratory qualitative research
Department for Work and Pensions
Research Report No 649
The impact of Disability
Living Allowance and
Attendance Allowance:
Findings from exploratory
qualitative research
Anne Corden, Roy Sainsbury, Annie Irvine and Sue Clarke
A report of research carried out by The University of York on behalf of the
Department for Work and Pensions
© Crown Copyright 2010. Published for the Department for Work and Pensions
under licence from the Controller of Her Majesty’s Stationery Offce.
Application for reproduction should be made in writing to The Copyright Unit,
Her Majesty’s Stationery Offce, St Clements House, 2-16 Colegate, Norwich NR3 1BQ.
First Published 2010.
ISBN 978 1 84712 756 3
Views expressed in this report are not necessarily those of the Department for
Work and Pensions or any other Government Department.
Contents iii
Contents
Acknowledgements ........................................................................................... v
The Authors ...................................................................................................... vi
Summary ...........................................................................................................1
1 Introduction ................................................................................................7
1.1 Recent research on Disability Living Allowance and Attendance
Allowance ........................................................................................8
1.2 Research aims and objectives ...........................................................10
1.3 Research design and methods ..........................................................11
1.3.1 Discussions with professionals ..........................................11
1.3.2 Desk-based review of current research instruments ...........12
1.3.3 Interviews with DLA and AA claimants .............................12
1.4 Structure of the report ....................................................................13
2 Giving information to DLA and AA claimants: The role of advisers in
Jobcentre Plus, PDCS and external agencies ...............................................15
2.1 Talking about DLA and AA to potential claimants ............................16
2.2 Views on the purpose of DLA and AA ..............................................18
2.2.1 Spontaneous views on the purpose of DLA and AA ...........19
2.2.2 Prompted views on the purpose of DLA and AA ................19
2.3 Views on the difference DLA and AA make to people’s lives .............21
2.4 Discussion ........................................................................................22
3 Methodological fndings ............................................................................25
3.1 Design of interview and topic guide .................................................26
iv Contents
3.2 The introductory and contextual enquiry .........................................27
3.3 DLA, AA and general household income ..........................................29
3.4 Managing money and meeting expenses .........................................30
3.5 Exploring what difference was made by DLA and AA .......................31
3.5.1 Spontaneous comments ....................................................31
3.5.2 Direct questions ................................................................32
3.5.3 Prompts ............................................................................33
3.5.4 Exploration of advice received ...........................................33
3.5.5 Exploration of perceived reasons for receipt .......................34
3.5.6 Exploration of perceived relationship between DLA, AA
and paid work ...................................................................34
3.5.7 Exploration of feelings about receipt ................................35
3.5.8 Exploration of practical money management .....................35
3.5.9 Inviting response to hypothetical scenarios ........................36
3.6 Summary .........................................................................................36
4 Recipients of Disability Living Allowance and Attendance Allowance:
Current income sources .............................................................................39
4.1 Awareness and understanding of receipt of DLA or AA ....................40
4.1.1 Adult DLA recipients ..........................................................40
4.1.2 AA recipients .....................................................................41
4.1.3 Parents of children receiving DLA ......................................41
4.2 Links from DLA and AA to other benefts and services, including
Carer’s Allowance ...........................................................................42
4.2.1 Carer’s Allowance ..............................................................42
4.2.2 Other ‘links’ to benefts and services..................................44
4.3 Overall household incomes ..............................................................45
4.3.1 Adult DLA recipients ..........................................................45
4.3.2 AA recipients .....................................................................46
4.3.3 Households with children receiving DLA ............................47
4.4 Signifcant recent changes in income ..............................................47
Contents v
4.5 Perceived importance of different income components ....................48
4.6 Summary .........................................................................................49
5 Recipients of Disability Living Allowance and Attendance Allowance:
Current expenses of daily living ..................................................................51
5.1 Accommodation ..............................................................................52
5.2.1 DLA and AA recipients ......................................................52
5.2.2 Parents of child DLA recipients ..........................................52
5.2 Paying for fuel .................................................................................53
5.2.3 DLA and AA recipients .....................................................53
5.2.4 Parents of child DLA recipients .........................................53
5.3 Paying for food ................................................................................54
5.3.1 DLA and AA recipients ......................................................54
5.3.2 Parents of child DLA recipients .........................................54
5.4 The cost of getting shopping ...........................................................55
5.4.1 Adult DLA and AA recipients .............................................55
5.5 Paying for personal care ...................................................................56
5.5.1 Adult DLA and AA recipients ............................................56
5.5.2 Children receiving DLA ......................................................57
5.5.3 Special equipment .............................................................57
5.6 Paying for health care ......................................................................58
5.6.1 Adult DLA and AA recipients .............................................58
5.6.2 Children receiving DLA ......................................................58
5.7 Paying for housework, gardening and small jobs ..............................59
5.8 Paying for mobility aids and transport ..............................................59
5.8.1 Adult DLA and AA recipients ............................................59
5.8.2 Parents of children receiving DLA ......................................61
5.9 Buying clothes .................................................................................61
5.10 Paying for social activities, and education .........................................62
5.10.1 Adult DLA and AA recipients ............................................62
5.10.2 Children receiving DLA ......................................................63
vi Contents
5.11 Buying gifts .....................................................................................64
5.12 Summary .........................................................................................65
6 Perspectives on the impact of DLA and AA .................................................67
6.1 How did people conceptualise DLA and AA? ...................................67
6.1.1 Adult DLA recipients ..........................................................67
6.1.2 AA recipients .....................................................................69
6.1.3 Parents of children getting DLA .........................................70
6.2 How were DLA and AA being used? ................................................71
6.2.1 Adult DLA and AA recipients .............................................71
6.2.2 Parents of children receiving DLA ......................................75
6.3 What other roles did DLA and AA have? ..........................................78
6.3.1 DLA recipients of working age ..........................................80
6.3.2 Parents of children getting DLA .........................................82
6.4 What were DLA and AA recipients’ current feelings about their
overall fnancial and personal circumstances? ...................................83
6.4.1 Adult DLA recipients ..........................................................83
6.4.2 AA recipients .....................................................................84
6.4.3 Parents of children getting DLA .........................................85
6.5 What would happen if recipients had less money? ...........................86
6.6 What difference did recipients think DLA or AA made for them? .....88
6.6.1 DLA and AA recipients ......................................................88
6.6.2 Parents of children getting DLA .........................................90
6.7 Summary .........................................................................................90
7 Implications for policy and research ............................................................93
7.1 Summary of substantive fndings about impact ................................94
7.1.1 Money management ........................................................94
7.1.2 Spending ...........................................................................95
7.1.3 Impacts .............................................................................96
7.1.4 Contributory factors to impacts other than spending .........97
Contents vii
7.2 Lessons from the approach to enquiry used in the study ..................98
7.3 The future measurement of the impact of DLA and AA ...................99
7.3.1 The potential of using ‘quality of life’ as a composite
indicator of impact ..........................................................100
7.3.2 The counterfactual .........................................................100
7.3.3 Do information requirements go beyond the
counterfactual? ..............................................................101
7.3.4 Setting out the options for future research ......................102
7.3.5 Question sequencing and wording ..................................103
7.4 Final refections for developing policy .............................................105
Appendix A Discussions with people who advise potential recipients of DLA
and AA: Research methods .......................................................107
Appendix B Qualitative interviews with recipients of DLA and AA, and
parents of children in receipt of DLA: Research methods ...........109
Appendix C Research instruments ................................................................113
Appendix D CASP-19 measure of ‘quality of life’ .........................................139
References ....................................................................................................141
List of tables
Table 1.1 Characteristics of the study group ...............................................13
Table 7.1 Types of disability-related spending mentioned in interviews ......96
Table B.1 Age and sex of people in study group ......................................111
Acknowledgements ix
Acknowledgements
Our frst thanks go to the Disability Living Allowance (DLA) and Attendance
Allowance (AA) recipients and their families who took part in the research
interviews and to the professionals working in the agencies of the Department
for Work and Pensions (DWP) and external advice agencies who took part in
the group discussions. Their willingness and cooperation were not only much
appreciated but essential. We cannot do our job without them.
We also thank Andrea Kirkpatrick and Mike Daly of the Disability and Carers
Beneft Division in the DWPs for working with us, through all the frustrations not
of our or their making, to bring this project to fruition. Their professionalism and
cooperative good humour have helped us immensely.
In the Social Policy Research Unit (SPRU) we have been assisted as ever to the
highest standards by Sally Pulleyn and the other members of the support staff.
Thank you all. Again.