Government Disability statistics and research:
How the Office for Disability Issues monitors progress towards disability equality
Fulfilling Potential: Building Understanding
On 13 February 2013 the Government published ‘Fulfilling Potential: Building a deeper
understanding of disability in the UK today.’ This document summarises the analytical evidence on
disability. It looks at the number of disabled people in the UK as well as looking at the way disability
develops over the life course and at the fluctuating nature of disability. It also looks at the lives of
disabled people by looking at the trends in outcomes and barriers to taking part in different areas of
life.
About research and statistics from the Office for Disability Issues
The Office for Disability Issues (ODI) is responsible for gathering and monitoring evidence of the
government’s progress towards disability equality. The areas covered reflect the experiences of
disabled people. ODI’s statistics are based on the latest official research available. They are sourced
and dated, and regularly maintained.
Disability key facts and figures
The disability key facts and figures give an overview of disability demographics in the UK. These
general statistics are suitable for non-specialist reports, publications and ministerial submissions.
Detailed disability statistics: Disability Equality Indicators
The Disability Equality Indicators offer detailed statistics and analysis. These figures are gathered by
ODI from across government. They measure progress towards disability equality in the areas
disabled people said were most important.
Involving disabled people in social research
This guidance provides social researchers with practical ideas on how to involve disabled people in
each stage of the research process.
The Life Opportunities Survey
The Life Opportunities Survey is a major piece of research which will provide an important source of
information to help government improve the life opportunities of disabled people.
Research reports
ODI publishes a range of research reports and studies on specific areas of policy.
All ODI’s research reports, including the latest, ‘Public perceptions of disabled people’, are available
from the publications index.
Beyond the Office for Disability Issues
 Department for Work and Pensions official statistics
 Office for National Statistics website
http://odi.dwp.gov.uk/disability-statistics-and-research/disability-facts-and-figures.php
Accessed 21.04.14
General Demographics
 There are over eleven million people with a limiting long term illness, impairment or disability
in Great Britain [1]
 In Great Britain, the most commonly-reported impairments are those that affect mobility,
lifting or carrying [2]
 The prevalence of disability rises with age. Around 6 per cent of children are disabled,
compared to 16 per cent of working age adults* and 45 per cent of adults over State Pension*
age in Great Britain. [3]
Living standards
 A substantially higher proportion of individuals who live in families with disabled members live
in poverty, compared to individuals who live in families where no one is disabled
 19 per cent of individuals in families with at least one disabled member live in relative income
poverty, on a Before Housing Costs basis, compared to 15 per cent of individuals in families
with no disabled member [4]
 21 per cent of children in families with at least one disabled member are in poverty, a
significantly higher proportion than the 16 per cent of children in families with no disabled
member
Employment
 According to the Labour Force Survey, disabled people are now more likely to be employed
than they were in 2002, but disabled people remain significantly less likely to be in
employment than non-disabled people. In 2012, 46.3 per cent of working-age disabled people
are in employment compared to 76.4 per cent of working-age non-disabled people. There is
therefore a 30.1 percentage point gap between disabled and non-disabled people,
representing over 2 million people. The gap has reduced by 10 percentage points over the last
14 years and has remained stable over the last two years despite the economic climate.
Education
 Between 2005/06 and 2010/11, the percentage of pupils at the end of Key Stage 4 achieving 5
or more GCSEs at grades A*-C has
 increased from 66.3 per cent to 88.9 per cent for students without Special Educational
Needs (SEN)
 increased from 19.8 per cent to 59.2 per cent for students with SEN without a statement
 increased from 8.7 per cent to 24.9 per cent for students with SEN with a statement [6]*
Post-19 Education
 Disabled people are around three times as likely not to hold any qualifications compared to
non-disabled people, and around half as likely to hold a degree-level qualification [7]
 19.2 per cent of working age disabled people do not hold any formal qualification, compared to
6.5 per cent of working age non-disabled people [8]
 14.9 per cent of working age disabled people hold degree-level qualifications compared to 28.1
per cent of working age non-disabled people [9]
Independent living
 Over a quarter of disabled people say that they do not frequently have choice and control over
their daily lives [10]
Discrimination


Disabled people are significantly more likely to experience unfair treatment at work than nondisabled people. In 2008, 19 per cent of disabled people experienced unfair treatment at work
compared to 13 per cent of non-disabled people [11]
Around a third of disabled people experience difficulties related to their impairment in
accessing public, commercial and leisure goods and services [12]
Leisure, social and cultural activities
 Disabled people remain significantly less likely to participate in cultural, leisure and sporting
activities than non-disabled people. Latest data shows disabled people are more likely to have
attended a historic environment site, museum or gallery than in 2005/06. However disabled
people are less likely to have attended a library over the same period [13]
Civic involvement and volunteering
 Disabled people remain significantly less likely to participate in cultural, leisure and sporting
activities than non-disabled people. Latest data shows disabled people are more likely to have
attended a historic environment site, museum or gallery than in 2005/06. However disabled
people are less likely to have attended a library over the same period [14]
 Disabled people are significantly less likely to engage in formal volunteering. In 2010/11, 23 per
cent of disabled people engaged in formal volunteering at least once a month, compared with
25 per cent of non-disabled people [15]
Transport
 Around a fifth of disabled people report having difficulties related to their impairment or
disability in accessing transport [16]
 Between 2004/05 and 2011/12, the percentage of buses with low-floor wheelchair access
increased from 52 per cent to 88 per cent [17]
Communications
 Disabled people are significantly less likely to live in households with access to the internet
than non-disabled people. In 2011 61 per cent of disabled people lived in households with
internet access, compared to 86 per cent of non-disabled people [18]
Justice System
 Disabled people are significantly more likely to be victims of crime than non-disabled people.
This gap is largest amongst 16-34 year-olds where 39 per cent of disabled people reported
having been a victim of crime compared to 28 per cent of non-disabled people [19]
 Disabled people are less likely than their non-disabled peers to think the Criminal Justice
System (CJS) is fair. This gap is largest amongst 16-34 year-olds, where 54 per cent of disabled
people think that the CJS is fair compared to 66 per cent of non-disabled people [20]
Housing
 Although the gap in non-decent accommodation has closed over recent years, one in three
households with a disabled person still live in non-decent accommodation [21]
 One in five disabled people requiring adaptations to their home believe that their
accommodation is not suitable [22]
Footnotes
1. Source: Family Resources Survey 2011/12
2. Source: Family Resources Survey 2011/12
3. Source: Source: Family Resources Survey 2010/11; *State Pension age changed from 2010/11
and so the definition of State Pension age and Working age is not consistent over time. The
State Pension age for men is 65 for men born before 6 April 1959. For women born on or
before 6 April 1950, the State Pension age is 60. From 6 April 2010, State Pension age for
women born on or before 6 April 1950 started to increase gradually between April 2010 and
November 2018. For the purpose of this data, women are defined to be of State Pension age
based on their date of birth and the date of the interview
4. Source: Family Resources Survey 2011/12
5. Source: Labour Force Survey, Quarter 2, 2012
6. Source: National Pupil Database 2005/06-2010/11 *These figures are final with the exception
of 2010/11 data which are revised figures
7. Source: Labour Force Survey, Quarter 2, 2012
8. Source: Labour Force Survey, Quarter 2, 2012
9. Source: Labour Force Survey, Quarter 2, 2012
10. Source: ONS Opinions Survey 2011
11. Source: Fair Treatment at Work Survey 2008
12. Source: ONS Opinions Survey 2010
13. Source: Taking Part Survey 2011/12
14. Source: Citizenship Survey 2010/11
15. Source: Citizenship Survey 2010/11
16. Source: ONS Opinions Survey 2011
17. Source: Department for Transport’s Annual Sample Survey of Bus Operators
18. Source: British Social Attitudes Survey 2011
19. Source: British Crime Survey 2010/11
20. Source: British Crime Survey 2010/11
21. Source: English House Condition Survey 2008
22. Source: Survey of English Housing 2007/08
Page last reviewed: 16 January 2014
http://odi.dwp.gov.uk/disability-statistics-and-research/disability-facts-and-figures.php
Accessed 22.04.14
Teresa Munby