ODI Research Reports
Research reports published by the Office for Disability Issues
- Choice and Control/Access to Goods and Services: A Rapid Evidence Assessment
- Access to independent advocacy: an evidence review
- An in-depth examination of the implementation of the Disability Equality Duty in England
- Experiences and Expectations of Disabled People
- Disability Equality Duty: compliance audit report
- Independent Living Report
- Improving Information for Disabled People
- Guidance on the Disability Equality Duty
- Guardian's Independent Living Supplement
- Implementation of the Disability Equality Duty (Executive Summary) audio version
- Advocacy services and older people's entry into care homes in England
Choice and Control/Access to Goods and Services: a Rapid Evidence Assessment
Published 19 November 2009
This report shows the findings from a Rapid Evidence Assessment. These two themes support the Independent Living Strategy, the Right to Control and the DWP’s strategic objective (DSO 5) to promote equality of opportunity for disabled people.
'Choice and Control' looks at the evidence to show what choice and control means to disabled people. It highlights the key issues and drivers that have the biggest impact in improving choice and control, including choice in community living, personal budgets and provision of equipment.
'Access to Goods and Services' looks at the evidence on the barriers faced and improvements needed by disabled people to access transport, housing, the built environment, e-accessibility and leisure services.
- Choice and Control/Access to Goods and Services: a Rapid Evidence Assessment (full report) (PDF, 136 pages, 1.51 MB)

- Choice and Control: executive summary (PDF, 5 pages, 820 KB)

- Access to Goods and Services: executive summary (PDF, 5 pages, 795 KB)

Access to independent advocacy: an evidence review
Published October 2009
This report presents the findings of an evidence review investigating the costs, benefits and effectiveness of advocacy support for disabled people.
The completion of this research fulfils a commitment made by the government in 2008’s Independent Living Strategy.
The review examined four situations where disabled people are particularly at risk of losing choice and control over their lives:
- during transition to adulthood
- when the children of disabled parents are subject to safeguarding procedures
- when entry to residential care is a possibility
- when disabled people are victims or alleged perpetrators of anti-social behaviour
- Access to independent advocacy: an evidence review (executive summary) (PDF, 9 pages, 267 KB)

- How independent advocates can help disabled people (Easy Read PDF, 17 pages, 1.47 KB)

- Access to independent advocacy: an evidence review (PDF, 170 pages 1.3 MB)

ODI has also published a framework for research on costs and benefits of independent advocacy. The report describes how evidence can be collected to fill the information gaps identified in this review.
- A framework for research on costs and benefits of independent advocacy (PDF, 92 pages 1.1 MB)

An in-depth examination of the implementation of the Disability Equality Duty in England
Published December 2008
The ODI has published research examining the experiences of public authorities in implementing the Disability Equality Duty in England. The research involved a series of case studies from seven policy sectors, examining the organisational impacts of the legislation and how things have changed for disabled people. The study also looked at the ways in which disabled people have been involved in producing Disability Equality Schemes and how organisations have attempted to promote disability equality in their policy and practices.
- Implementation of the Disability Equality Duty in England (Executive summary) (PDF, 1.4 MB, 32 pages)

- Disability Equality Duty: how it's going (Easy Read PDF, 36 pages, 1.1 MB)

- Implementation of the Disability Equality Duty in England (full report) (PDF, 148 pages, 2.8 MB)

- Implementation of the Disability Equality Duty in England (Executive summary) - RTF (RTF, 32 pages, 83KB)

- Implementation of the Disability Equality Duty (Executive Summary) audio version
- Index (mp3, 3m 45s, 1.8 MB)

- Introduction (mp3, 2m 32s, 1.2 MB)

- Key findings (mp3, 26m 15s, 12 MB)

- Guide to best practice (mp3, 4m 25s, 2 MB)

- Context of the research (mp3, 2m 48s, 1.3 MB)

- Research methods (mp3, 1m 58s, 1 MB)

- References (mp3, 4m 37s, 2.1 MB)

Experiences and Expectations of Disabled People
Published July 2008
Published in 2008, Experiences and Expectations of Disabled People is the first comprehensive study of disability issues in six years. The research, which was commissioned by the Office for Disability Issues (ODI), provides a unique snapshot of the lives of nearly 2,000 disabled people.
A new research report commissioned by the Government shows that whilst progress is being made, disabled people in Britain are still more likely than non-disabled people to experience disadvantage in a variety of areas.
Experiences and Expectations of Disabled People, the first comprehensive study of disability issues in six years, looked at key policy areas including employment, education, transport, health and discrimination across Great Britain in 2007.
The research, which was commissioned by the Office for Disability Issues (ODI), provides a unique snapshot of the lives of nearly 2,000 disabled people. The study was ground-breaking in that it actively involved disabled people throughout the research process.
The report
- Executive summary (PDF, 1.85 MB, 48 pages)

- Executive summary (RTF, 73 kB, 48 pages)

- Easy Read version (PDF, 2.58 MB, 38 pages)

- Full report (PDF, 4.39 MB, 248 pages)

- Full report (RTF, 1.25 MB, 248 pages)

The annexes
These annexes are available online only. If you have difficulty accessing them, please contact the Office for Disability Issues.
Annex A
- Technical report (PDF, 824 kB, 21 pages)

Annex B
- Advance letter (PDF, 91 kB, 1 page)

- Advice memo (PDF, 114 kB, 2 pages)

- Easy Read letter (PDF, 119 kB, 1 page)

- Easy Read questionnaire (PDF, 1.5 MB, 25 pages)

- Main contact sheet (PDF, 973 kB, 9 pages)

- Main showcards (PDF, 866 kB, 93 pages)

- Screening questionnaire (PDF, 127 kB, 4 pages)

- Screening showcards (PDF, 78 kB, 3 pages)

- Shortened questionnaire (PDF, 721 kB, 39 pages)

- Easy Read thank you letter (PDF, 231 kB, 1 page)

Annex C
- Qualitative methodology summary report (PDF, 738 kB, 8 pages)

- Showcards (PDF, 90 kB, 3 pages)

- Stage 1 discussion guide (PDF, 373 kB, 11 pages)

- Stage 1 pre-task workbook (PDF, 131 kB,12 pages)

- Stage 1 recruitment screener (PDF, 384 kB,16 pages)

- Stage 2 discussion guide (PDF, 303 kB, 9 pages)

- Stage 2 recruitment screener A (PDF, 523 kB, 22 pages)

- Stage 2 recruitment screener B (PDF, 425 kB, 19 pages)

- Stage 3 discussion guide (PDF, 275 kB, 12 pages)

- Stage 3 recruitment questionnaire (PDF, 476 kB, 20 pages)

Annex D
- Segmentation report (PDF, 720 kB, 8 pages)

Alternative formats
The Experiences and Expectations of Disabled People report is available in hard copy, in Braille, on audio CD and in Easy Read formats. If you would like a copy in any of these formats please contact the Office for Disability Issues. The audio version is also available for download below.
- Introduction (mp3, 1.01MB)

- Key findings (mp3, 1.03 MB)

- The profile of disabled people (mp3, 814 kB)

- Civic participation and social networks (mp3, 2.1 MB)

- Experiences and perceptions of discrimination (mp3, 1.3 MB)

- Employment (mp3, 1.6 MB)

- Education (mp3, 1.03 MB)

- Economic well-being (mp3, 954 kB)

- Housing and home life (mp3, 1.22 MB)

- Transport (mp3, 1.2 MB)

- Health and well-being (mp3, 1.3 MB)

- The context of the research (mp3, 1.5 MB)

- How the research was carried out (mp3, 2.8 MB)

- References (mp3, 1.2 MB)

Disability Equality Duty: compliance audit report
Published March 2008
The ODI commissioned Ipsos MORI to carry out an audit of how public bodies are meeting their duties under the Disability Equality Duty.
The audit identifies, by sector, the proportion of bodies that have published a scheme and whether they have actively involved disabled people (a key requirement of the new duty). The study found that, as of January 2007, at least half of public bodies are currently meeting their obligations.
- Compliance audit report: Disability Equality Schemes (PDF, 479KB 26 pages)

- List of public bodies (PDF, 273 KB 2 pages)

- Compliance audit report: Disability Equality Schemes (RTF, 215 KB 24 pages)

Independent Living Report
The Office for Disability Issues has published two research reports commissioned under the Independent Living Review:
`Better outcomes, lower costs' summarises existing evidence relating to savings to health and social care budgets as a result of investment in housing adaptations and housing improvements.
- PDF – Better outcomes, lower costs (May 2007)
(486KB, 126 Pages) - PDF – Summary, Better outcomes, lower costs (May 2007)
(129KB, 8 Pages)
Different languages, audio and braille are available on request, please contact: office-for-disability-issues@dwp.gsi.gov.uk
'The costs and benefits of independent living' summarises existing evidence about investment in independent living.
- PDF – The costs and benefits of independent living (May 2007)
(559KB, 140 Pages) - PDF – Summary, The costs and benefits of independent living
(May 2007) (143KB, 14 Pages)
Improving Information for Disabled People
On 6 February 2007, the Office for Disability Issues published findings from the first phase of the Information Needs Project.
A report, 'Improving Information for Disabled People' and a guide `Five principles for producing better information for disabled people' are now available.
Guidance on the Disability Equality Duty
The Office for Disability Issues has produced this guidance for civil servants entitled Disability equality: a priority for all on the duties imposed by the Disabilty Discrimination Act.
Disability equality: a priority for all (May 2006) (PDF, 28 pages, 377 KB)
The Office for Disability Issues publishes: Disability Discrimination Act report: `Analyses of data from the ONS Omnibus Survey' presenting trends from 1996 to 2006 in awareness of the Disability Discrimination Act (DDA).
- Summary: Disability Discrimination Act report
analyses of data from the ONS Omnibus survey (PDF, 12 pages, 400 KB)

- Full report: Disability Discrimination Act report analyses of data from the ONS Omnibus survey (PDF, 80 pages, 1.2 MB)

Guardian's Independent Living Supplement
Read the Guardian's supplement on disability (links to the Guardian website), which has been sponsored by the Office for Disability Issues.
Sign up now to receive the ODI newsletter for the latest news from the ODI
Implementation of the Disability Equality Duty (Executive Summary) audio version
- Index (mp3, 3m 45s, 1.8 MB)
- Introduction (mp3, 2m 32s, 1.2 MB)
- Key findings (mp3, 26m 15s, 12 MB)
- Guide to best practice (mp3, 4m 25s, 2 MB)
- Context of the research (mp3, 2m 48s, 1.3 MB)
- Research methods (mp3, 1m 58s, 1 MB)
- References (mp3, 4m 37s, 2.1 MB)
Advocacy services and older people's entry into care homes in England
This report was comissioned by the Department of Health (DH) and undertaken in consultation with ODI.
Scoping review of the research and evidence base relating to advocacy services and older people's entry into care homes in England (links to DH website)
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