Needs and Ambitions in Swedish Disability Care

Abstract

The Swedish Disability Act, LSS, was introduced to guarantee good living conditions for people with severe disabilities. A specific goal was to overcome local variation in support. However, considerable differences still remain between the municipalities. In this study we have identified six characteristics to explain this variation: earlier presence of residential institutions, population density, human capital (age, education, employment, health), local culture, land area and stable left-wing government. The results support a need-responsiveness model of welfare support but also signal accessibility problems and a regional propensity to demand and provide independently of needs. This means that spatial equity is violated. In sum, it still matters where you live.

Keywords:

• Welfare state
• disability politics
• spatial equity
• need
• demand
• supply
• social support
• local government
• accessibility

Acknowledgements

We would like to thank the Swedish Council for Working Life and Social Research for its financial support, and Hanna Bäck of the Department of Government, Uppsala University, for helpful comments.