Severe disablement allowance: The old dressed up as new?

Abstract

The European Community Directive¹ obliging member states to “progressively implement the principle of equal treatment for men and women in matters of social security”² came into force on December 22, 1984 after a lengthy six-year implementation period. Partly to secure compliance with the Directive, changes to the British social security system have been made. Some were phased in during the year preceding the Directive's implementation deadline. This set included the important changes to the means tested Supplementary Benefit and Family Income Supplement, removing the automatic bar to married and cohabiting women's entitlement. Restrictions on married women's access to dependency additions, especially with the short term contributory benefits, were also relaxed.³