Includes bibliographical references and index.

1. Contextualising disability welfare policyP︣oor laws, paternalism and the 'relief of disability'T︣he factory system and the birth of the abled/disabled binaryE︣ugenics, science of difference, segregation and IQB︣everidge, the postwar context and the New JerusalemO︣rigins of official community-based supportB︣eyond paternalism : early struggles for the disabled people's movementM︣ainstreaming and the resilience of segregationW︣holesale shift to community care : the unlikely offspring of neoliberalism?N︣ew deal for disabled people, age-based policies and new dualismsS︣elf-directed support : choices, self-management or something in between?G︣lobalisation and disability policy2︣. Cure, care and protect : the paternalist policy heritageI︣ntroductionD︣isability, paternalism and the impact of William BeveridgeI︣nstitutional discrimination and implementation of the Beveridge ReportC︣itizenship, disability and T.H. MarshallM︣oving towards inclusion in the community : the 1950s to 19703︣. The rhetoric and reality of community care for disabled peopleI︣mperatives to deinstitutionalisation4︣. Aiming high enough? Disabled children and mainstreamed livesD︣isabled children's welfare policyS︣ocial care and health care supportE︣ducational policy5︣. New Labour and clauses for conditionality : activating disabled citizensI︣ntroductionN︣ew Labour, conditionality and the primacy of paid workP︣aid work, social inclusion and social citizenshipD︣isability and a return to laissez-faire policies?6︣. Supporting disabled adults : new paradigms or new paternalism?M︣odernised adult social care : personalisation and self-directed supportF︣air Access to Care Services and Putting people first : rhetoric and realityC︣hanging day servicesC︣rossing provider boundariesI︣ndividual budgets7︣. Older disabled people : choices and rights in old age?I︣ntroductionT︣he Royal Commission on Long-term 'Care'I︣ntermediate 'care' and supportP︣utting people firstD︣irect payments, independent living and individual budgetsA︣re we witnessing Fair Access to Care Services?A︣ge-in-place and telecareA︣mbitious holism, realism or ineffectual rhetoric?8︣. Getting it right for all disabled people? The impact of disability policy on structured disadvantageH︣istorical disadvantage of disabled people : early years of 'disability policy'D︣isability policy and the 1990sD︣isability policy impact and the 2000s9︣. Out of the labyrinth? The disability benefits system unpackedH︣istorical context and the bases for benefit entitlementsD︣isability Living Allowance : challenging the additional payments system1︣0. Coalition dreams, new conditionality and disability policyI︣ntroductionT︣he coalition and disability-related policyT︣he coalition's disability reforms in detailP︣ossible impact of the proposed reformsC︣onclusionA︣ final word.

In an era of scarce social resources, the question of changing social policy constructions and responses to disabled people has become increasingly important. This text locates disability policy into broader social policy and welfare policy writings, embracing a range of indicators of disabled people's welfare.