abstract: 'This paper uses qualitative data from a cross-national study of `cash

  for care'' schemes in five European countries (Austria, France, Italy,

  The Netherlands and the United Kingdom) to consider the concepts of

  empowerment and independence in relation to both care-users and

  care-givers. The paper locates the schemes along two axes, one of

  regulation/non-regulation, the other whether relatives can be paid or

  not. Each of the schemes has a different impact both on the care

  relationship and on the labour market for care. In The Netherlands where

  relatives can be paid, for example, a fully commodified form of informal

  care emerges; but in Austria and Italy with low regulation, a mix of

  informal and formal care-givers/workers has emerged with many

  international migrant workers. In the UK, direct payments allow

  care-users to employ local care-workers who deliver care for various

  lengths of time; while in France a credentialised system means that

  care-work is delivered by qualified workers but for very short

  intervals. The main conclusion is that none of these schemes have a

  simple outcome or advantage, and that the contexts in which they occur

  and the nature of their regulation has to be understood before drawing

  conclusions about their impact on empowerment and independence on both

  sides of the care relationship.'
affiliation: 'Ungerson, C (Corresponding Author), Univ Southampton, Sch Social Sci,
  Southampton SO17 1BJ, Hants, England.

  Univ Southampton, Sch Social Sci, Southampton SO17 1BJ, Hants, England.'
author: Ungerson, C
author-email: ceu@soton.ac.uk
author_list:
- family: Ungerson
  given: C
da: '2023-09-28'
doi: 10.1017/S0144686X03001508
eissn: 1469-1779
files: []
issn: 0144-686X
journal: AGEING \& SOCIETY
keywords: 'care-users; care-givers; care-work; social care; direct payments; cash

  for care; migrant labour; comparative social policy'
language: English
month: MAR
number: '2'
number-of-cited-references: '5'
pages: 189-212
papis_id: b1f3ce4b9a876dd00310ee64a0f8ced6
ref: Ungerson2004whoseempowerment
times-cited: '139'
title: Whose empowerment and independence? A cross-national perspective on `cash for
  care' schemes
type: article
unique-id: WOS:000220613400003
usage-count-last-180-days: '0'
usage-count-since-2013: '27'
volume: '24'
web-of-science-categories: Gerontology
year: '2004'