This chapter first introduces the reader to the main cash benefits for disabled people, before summarising the patterns of benefit receipt and, finally, outlining the strategy to be adopted in this part of the book.

First, we should note that ‘disability’ is a complex and sometimes contentious concept. The traditional ‘medical model’ emphasises the person's impairments and inability to perform tasks as the main reason for their disadvantage. Alternatively, the ‘social model’ emphasises the role of social structures in creating this disadvantage. Each model carries a set of assumptions and vocabulary, using the term ‘disability’ in different ways (see Berthoud et al, 1993, for a fuller discussion). Here we refer to ‘disabled people’ as people with an impairment who are disadvantaged in society, and ‘disability benefits’ as those payable once some kind of impairment test (often as well as other eligibility conditions) has been satisfied.

An introduction to disability benefits in Britain

Welfare benefits for disabled people in Britain divide into four sets (Table 9.1): benefits to provide income maintenance, to cover the additional costs of disability, to supplement wages, and to provide compensation for loss of faculty.

• • The three income maintenance benefits (Incapacity Benefit, Severe Disablement Allowance, Income Support) are payable on the basis of an assessment of incapacity for work. Entitlement to Incapacity Benefit also requires sufficient National Insurance contributions, Severe Disablement Allowance involves a disablement test, and Income Support necessitates a means test.