This chapter has described the general awareness and understanding of their DLA or AA award among people in our study group, in the context of their overall household incomes.
We considered each sub-group in turn. Among the adult DLA recipients in this study group the lengths of award varied from 20 years to 16 months. Nearly half this sub-group were people over state retirement pension age, but we saw no evidence of people having claimed DLA as they approached 65 years in order to gain long-term access to the mobility component.
People talked about components, rates and money value of their DLA award in a variety of ways, with some inaccuracy in recall. For purpose of analysis, we brought together information from various parts of the interviews and standardised money values to weekly amounts. This showed that the sub group included the full range of rates of payment and various combinations of components of DLA.
Adult DLA recipients in this study were generally living in low income households. Most recipients were some distance from the labour market, and their own incomes therefore were largely made up of pensions and benefits. Only one person lived in a household in which somebody had full-time earnings. Views varied as to
the most important component of income, taking into account aspects such as periodicity of receipt, ‘passporting’ and whether benefits were income-related, in addition to the relative money values.
Among AA recipients there was a rough balance between people receiving high and low awards. It seemed likely that there was a wider income range among AA recipients, with some men and women describing valued non-state pensions. None of the households in which the AA recipients lived currently had any earnings going in, although one person received formal financial support for care of a young person.
Among the DLA awards to children all rates of care components and both rates of mobility components were represented. Some pattern was discernible in that nearly half the children received middle rate care and lower rate mobility components. The picture of household incomes of their parents was quite different from the household incomes of adult recipients who took part. In most families, one or both parents had earnings or employer’s sick pay. The sub-group included families in which parents had salaries from professional and career jobs, as well as families who talked about relatively low earnings. There were also families who relied on Incapacity Benefit and Income Support.
Overall, one-fifth of the DLA and AA awards in this study group were linked to a Carer’s Allowance, most of these claimed by parents of children receiving DLA. In addition, people perceived links between DLA and AA and premiums and additional amounts in a range of other benefits and tax credits, and used the access bestowed by their awards to transport and travel schemes, leisure facilities, the Independent Living Fund and the Family Fund. It is likely that there is some under reporting here, but even the partial picture obtained provides some perspective on the wide economic impact of DLA and AA.
Findings in this chapter help us understand more about people’s understanding and conceptualisation of DLA and AA, and how these benefits fit within the context of overall household income. We have begun to see how people attach different importance to different kinds of money and financial support. We return to these topics in further chapters as we build up the picture of the difference made by DLA and AA. Chapter 5 is concerned with people’s perceptions of the current expenses of daily living.
5 Recipients of Disability
Living Allowance and
Attendance Allowance:
Current expenses of
daily living
This chapter discusses how people taking part in this study met their general living costs, including their routine household budgeting expenses and more occasional expenses, for example holidays. We see how some people had to budget carefully for expenses related to managing needs described as related to their health condition, impairment or old age, or caring for a disabled child. The information in this chapter is important in understanding what was happening when people said their Disability Living Allowance (DLA) or Attendance Allowance (AA) just went towards their general living expenses.
This was a qualitative study, and there was thus no attempt to seek data which would enable a detailed breakdown of household expenditures. Rather, we report what people said about their routine general living expenses, such as payments for rent or mortgage, utilities and food. We also report on the expenses which people themselves saw as related in some way to their health condition. This was either because they required items or services they perceived as ‘extra’ or when they perceived having to ‘pay more’ for the same kind of things they had before they were ill, or that other people or other families with children had. (Such expenses are sometimes referred to in literature as the extra costs of disability.) Some people in the study group observed also some gaps in expenditure, or reduced expenses, for example when their condition meant they were no longer able to go on holiday. Expenditure also involves matters of taste and choice, and most people, whether or not they have health conditions or impairments, prioritise spending in some way and are affected by some form of income constraint. It is also important to
remember that people have different levels of interest, ability and experience in managing financial matters. What follows is essentially a qualitative analysis. It shows the kinds of expenses which people themselves saw as important in their current lives, and were ready to talk about with an interviewer. For purposes of presentation, the material is organised according to different items of expenditure.