6 Perspectives on the impact of DLA and AA
6.6 What difference did recipients think DLA or AA made for them?
made for them?
There were some spontaneous comments, throughout the interviews, to the difference which DLA or AA made for people. By the end of the discussions people had talked in some detail about the effects on their lives of their health condition or impairment, their incomes and resources, how they spent money, and how they felt they were managing. It was from this context that they summed up what difference DLA or AA made for them, when invited to return to this topic right at the end of the interview.
6.6.1 DLA and AA recipients
DLA recipients of working age were unanimous in expressing views that DLA made a big difference to their lives. Some used strong language, explaining that DLA ‘enables me to live’, or saying that having DLA kept a roof over their head, or made the difference between being in debt and being able to survive. Without DLA, some said they ‘wouldn’t survive’, ‘would struggle’ or would be ‘in dire
straits’. Some said that without the benefit they would not be able to get the
help they needed or pay their bills, and would have to ask relatives for loans. DLA recipients who were parents said their children’s lives would be affected, for example when it was harder to replace their shoes. Those people who said they would not be able to get around without their DLA, or use taxis for urgent journeys included people getting the mobility component. Such views were expressed by people receiving the lower rates of DLA and people getting the highest possible awards. It is important to remember that all the DLA recipients in this study group were people who had been living for some time on low out-of work incomes. In their summing up of the difference DLA made, some people returned to the difference made to their psychological well-being of knowing that DLA was coming in, saying again that they felt more secure, felt they had a safety net (especially during changes in circumstances), or felt that the money enabled them to do things that encouraged them to go on.
When interviewed, one young person was currently awaiting the results of a recent DLA review. This was a time of anxiety, in case of reduction from the high award that enhanced independence and quality of life. Another young person knew a review was due in a few months, and had mixed feelings. On the one hand, it would be nice to have a medical assessment that reflected ‘being better’; on the other hand, if the move to paid work turned out not to be successful, life would be financially hard again, with effects on mental health. One other person remarked on the negative psychological impact that came through the association of the benefit with ‘disability’, and how much they would prefer to be able to get out and work and not be ‘disabled’. Given the circumstances, however, and being unable to do paid work, DLA was a great help financially.
Among DLA recipients over pension age and AA recipients were elderly people who also used strong language about the difference their benefit made. Elderly DLA recipients talked about ‘a world of difference’, ‘a terrific difference’ and the ‘difference between poverty and a reasonable standard of living’. AA recipients who engaged with this discussion generally said AA made a ‘great difference’ or ‘all the difference in the world’. Some said they could not do without AA, or said that without AA they could not afford the help they had, could not afford chiropody, keeping their home clean or the level of warmth they needed in the house. Elderly DLA recipients who expressed such strong views all appeared to be claiming Pension Credit, and £49.10 or £67.75 DLA weekly.
AA recipients who said they felt like this appeared to be claiming lower or higher AA (£47.10 or £70.35), and included some who were claiming Pension Credit, as well as people with occupational pensions or survivors’ pensions and benefits, who appeared not to be receiving Pension Credit (although we did not have full details of income from all these AA recipients). One couple felt that getting AA had changed their lives, giving them access to Pension Credit and housing benefits. An observation that although AA made a lot of difference, it was not high enough, came from a couple who both received AA but still could not afford to run a car that would make so much difference to their lives.
The only person in this study who was over state retirement age, engaged with the issue of what difference DLA made and did not have a firm view was a long-term recipient, used to integrating DLA in her general budgeting, and currently feeling fairly comfortable financially.
Findings from this study do not enable us to say more about any patterns there might be between levels of income of elderly DLA and AA recipients, amounts of benefit in payment, and views on what difference the benefit was making. This is because we do not have full income details, particularly among those elderly people who may have had the higher incomes; we do not have full details of awards, and some elderly people were unaware that they received AA.
6.6.2 Parents of children getting DLA
All the parents in this study said that their child’s DLA made a definite positive difference to their family. The couple who said they could not manage without the DLA which boosted Income Support by £47.10 weekly had previously talked about struggling financially. Parents with higher incomes talked about DLA making ‘a dramatic positive difference’ or ‘a really big difference’. Included were parents with and without partners, with and without earnings, and parents with younger children as well as parents of teenagers. They talked, variously, about DLA enabling their whole family to have good food, have a more ‘normal’ life, and go on holiday. DLA, parents said, enabled their disabled child have extra tuition and therapy, go swimming, go away to camp and holidays, take part in activities, have suitable toys and equipment, and have clothes and shoes that did not identify them as ‘different’ among their friends, all of which enhanced their child’s quality of life, boosted morale and confidence and stimulated development. For one parent, knowing there was a specific stream of money for their child enabled her to experiment in trying to find a toy or activity that engaged the child – she would not have spent money in this way without DLA, but had found toys that worked by being able to bring them home. Having DLA, some parents said, made their own lives easier and less stressful, took away some of their financial concerns, gave some peace of mind, encouraged them in their care and, for some parents whose partner was the only or main breadwinner, made the difference between having to go out to do paid work themselves and being able to make choices about paid work which suited their family situation.
6.7
Summary
Adult recipients of DLA perceived entitlement to the benefit to be related to effects of long-term medical conditions and the need for help or care, or as a general boost to income for people who had problems related to their condition. There was some dislike of being categorised under a label of ‘disability’. AA recipients also perceived their benefit as related to a need for help or care, but there was evidence of some non-take-up due to earlier belief that entitlement depended on having somebody ‘in attendance’. We saw no evidence of people claiming DLA before the age of 65 in order to access a mobility component, although there was some knowledge among both sub-groups of this potential incentive, and some perceptions of inequities here.
Parents of child recipients also related entitlement of DLA to their child’s medical condition, and the extra and additional expenses this involved. Some saw a wider purpose in the benefit, enhancing family life generally, taking pressure off parents, compensating for additional burdens and replacing lost earnings.
Adult recipients of DLA and AA used these benefits to enable spending on charges in residential and warden assisted accommodation; personal care; transport; food; fuel; maintaining a home; medical equipment and supplies; telephones and computers, social activities and savings. Parents also used their child’s DLA to enable spending on such items. They gave special mention to spending on food, clothes and shoes for the child, treatment and tuition, toys, equipment and social activities, and explained that having DLA affected budgeting for the whole family. Across the study group, additional roles were perceived for DLA and AA. These included helping practical money management; enabling access to passport benefits and other financial opportunities; acting as a safety net; helping debt management; enabling people to stay at home; keeping people in touch with family and friends; keeping people in society; acknowledgement of personal circumstances, and a factor in thinking about paid work.
There was a spectrum of feelings about financial circumstances, and feelings about life in general, in all sub-groups, but general agreement that these were linked. There was concern and strong negative reactions to the idea of having less income (a hypothetical £50 per week), particularly among adult DLA and AA recipients. Across the whole study group, DLA and AA were generally perceived as making a big, positive difference to people’s lives, and the family life of child recipients.