Direct Payments and their Future: An Ethical Concern?

Abstract

Recent policy developments in the general area of disability have presented a whole range of ethical dilemmas for everyone involved in the development and delivery of services for disabled people at the national and local levels. This is almost certainly due to government acceptance of the principles of independent living and the social model of disability, and greater user involvement and control of support services, in particular ‘direct payments’. This paper will centre on the ethical concerns that arise from recent government policy regarding the latter.

Keywords:

• Direct Payments
• Disability
• Independent Living
• Policy
• Services

Acknowledgements

This paper is an amended version of an article that appeared in the NCIL's Quarterly Newsletter Independently, December 2004, pp. 2–3, and data are from the sources given in the references below.

Additional information

Notes on contributors

Colin Barnes

Colin Barnes is a disability activist, writer and researcher with an international reputation in the field of disability studies and disability research. He is a member of several organizations controlled and run by disabled people and is research director for the British Council of Disabled People (BCODP)