Understanding the needs of people with mental health conditions or learning disabilities when claiming benefits
Understanding the needs of people with mental health conditions or learning disabilities when claiming benefits
New DWP research report
08 July, 2010
The DWP has published new research that presents the findings of a literature review commissioned to understand the needs, preferences and experiences of people with mental health conditions and learning disabilities when accessing benefits, specifically disability living allowance and attendance allowance.
Amongst the main findings of the research were that individuals with mental health conditions or learning disabilities, particularly those with more severe medical conditions and those of older age, are more liable than the general population to experience social exclusion, and this can present significant barriers to acquiring information and advice about eligibility for benefits and accessing support to make a claim, including -
- people with learning disabilities often have limited friendship groups and may have limited contact with family – two of the channels through which many people hear about DLA and AA;
- conditions such as dementia frequently go undiagnosed, possibly making it less likely that the person will become aware of their potential eligibility for benefits; and
- the social stigma can discourage people from seeking help when they suspect something may be wrong, which may delay diagnosis and intervention.
Whilst the research highlights evidence that using advocates is effective in reducing barriers faced by vulnerable people, it acknowledges that provision remains patchy both from a geographical perspective and from the perspective of meeting the needs of particular groups. For example, one piece of research found ‘serious gaps’ in provision for African and Caribbean men who have a mental health condition.
In addition the research highlights a number of other barriers to increased take-up of benefits, including -
- that a number of hard-to-reach groups are at greater risk of mental health problems - for example drug and alcohol misusers or the homeless - and their needs are complex and they often receive a poor service from statutory agencies as a result;
- lack of joined-up working can cause particular problems for children in the transition from child to adult services, older adults, and those with complex or more severe needs;
- people may be unaware of their potential eligibility for benefits as a result of a range of factors, including a lack of formalised routes for informing people about eligibility, such as signposting from other agencies;
- communication channels and formats do not always meet the needs of people with mental health conditions or learning disabilities, and there may also be inflexibilities in the way communications with these groups are handled by DWP staff, or aspects of the process that make it difficult for claimants to disclose their condition and express their communication needs;
- that claiming DLA or AA is a long and complex process and presents particular challenges for those with mental health conditions, with the view expressed that the claim form is more geared towards people with physical rather than mental health conditions.
From the DWP -
Click here for the full report.
by Andrew Butters, Mike Webster and Matt Hill
This literature review was commissioned to understand the needs, preferences and experiences of people with mental health conditions and learning disabilities when accessing benefits, specifically Disability Living Allowance (DLA) and Attendance Allowance (AA). The main objectives of the review were to understand the existing evidence related to:
needs and expectations;
service provision and access;
networks;
channel preferences.
The Pension, Disability and Carers Service (PDCS) is keen to identify the particular needs of these groups and any barriers they may face when accessing PDCS services. This report presents the key findings and implications.
July 2010 74 pages 297x210mm
PDF version
