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Inequalities in provision of the Disability Living Allowance for Down syndrome

Jill Ellis1, Stuart Logan, Rachel Pumphrey

  • 1Centre for Paediatric Epidemiology and Biostatistics, Institute of Child Health, 30 Guilford Street, London WC1N 1EH, UK. j.ellis@ich.ucl.ac.uk

Archives of Disease in Childhood
|March 9, 2007
PubMed

Insights

Disability Living Allowance (DLA) awards for children with Down syndrome disproportionately favored white, English-speaking parents. This benefit was not linked to disability severity, highlighting a need for monitoring.

Area of Science:

  • Pediatric Health
  • Genetics
  • Social Determinants of Health

Background:

  • Down syndrome (trisomy 21) is a genetic condition.
  • The Disability Living Allowance (DLA) is a benefit for disabled children in the UK.
  • Factors influencing DLA awards for children with Down syndrome are not well understood.

Purpose of the Study:

  • To investigate factors associated with the granting of the Disability Living Allowance (DLA) for children with Down syndrome.
  • To identify potential disparities in DLA awards based on socioeconomic factors and ethnicity.

Main Methods:

  • A cross-sectional survey was conducted with families of children with Down syndrome.
  • Data were collected on DLA applications, socioeconomic factors, and child development.
  • 156 children with Down syndrome were enrolled before 7 months of age.

Main Results:

  • DLA awards were significantly less likely for ethnic minority parents and those for whom English was a second language.
  • Award levels were also lower for ethnic minority families.
  • Disability severity, including developmental quotient and cardiac conditions, did not influence DLA application or award amounts.

Conclusions:

  • The DLA award process and monetary level favored white, English-speaking parents.
  • The system did not appear to account for the severity of disability in children with Down syndrome.
  • Routine monitoring of DLA awards by ethnicity and language is recommended to address potential inequities.
Abstract

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