Disability Tax in the Welfare State: Uncertainty and Resentment about Disability Services in Finland

Abstract

This paper focuses on the uncertainty and resentment that many persons with disabilities feel concerning their disability services in the welfare state of Finland. This paper elaborates on the theme through the lived citizenship of persons with disabilities using the key theory of disability tax as an analytical tool. The empirical data were collected through an online survey (n = 541) and six group interviews (n = 41) of persons with disabilities in 2023. The disability tax experiences are elaborated through four aspects: (1) rejected applications, (2) uncertain realisation, (3) laborious complaint mechanisms, and (4) the psycho–emotional effect. The findings of this study establish collective experiences of multi-layered disability tax throughout the disability services process. It concludes that disability services, which were originally planned to specifically ensure equal opportunities to participate in society for persons with disabilities, are increasingly becoming the very sources of burden as austerity has silently grown deeper over recent years and has become the clear policy of the current government.