Adverse Effects of Social Security on Disabled People and Their Families in the UK: Iatrogenic Outcomes of Quasi-Clinical Administration

Harriet Clarke,Hareth Al-Janabi,Fiona Carmichael

doi:10.16993/sjdr.607

Harriet Clarke, Hareth Al-Janabi + Show 1 more

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https://doi.org/10.16993/sjdr.607

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Abstract

In the aftermath of the 2008 financial crisis many countries embarked on a prolonged period of public sector ‘austerity’ which for some included seeking dramatic reductions in social security spending. It is in this context that the research investigates the negative impacts of interactions with the UK disability benefits system on the lives of disabled people. The research uses in-depth semi-structured interviews and a focus group to study the experiences of 49 people who either had an impairment or chronic health concern and/or were family carers for an adult or child with these concerns. The analysis identified four aggregate dimensions evidenced by the transcript data: harmful health and well-being consequences, negative financial and resource impacts, perverse employment effects and wider social disability concerns. These dimensions highlight how interactions with ‘social security’ policy in the contemporary context can have harmful, iatrogenic consequences for disabled people and their families.

Highlights

This study investigates how the lives of disabled people have been impacted by their interactions with the UK social security system
In the UK, these public spending cuts are associated with wider social security ‘welfare reforms’ which have redrawn the boundaries of eligibility for disability-related and other social benefits (Roulstone 2015)
The adverse impacts of interactions with the disability benefit system highlighted by participants identified health and wellbeing effects, financial and other resource problems, issues related to work and wider social disability concerns

Summary

Introduction

This study investigates how the lives of disabled people have been impacted by their interactions with the UK social security system. Negative impacts are a concern for disabled people and campaigning organisations in the context of the so-called ‘austerity’ policy agenda associated with the contraction of state support. The recent report of the United Nations Committee report by the United Nations Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities (UN CRPD, 2017) highlighted the negative consequences of austerity on disabled people and their families. This is the specific context for the experience of respondents in this study, with policy debate around more recent legislation part of the discourse landscape in which social security is delivered

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