These statistics cover Great Britain and are reviewed and updated
throughout the year as new data is published. Sources are available under Official Statistics,Disability facts and figures, Published
The prevalence of disability rises with age. Around 6% of children
are disabled, compared to 16% of working age adults and 45% of adults
over State Pension age .
It is obvious that the number of adults over the State Pension age is going to be high. This group usually fear and expectthat they will gain a disability as they grow older.
Disabled people remain significantly less likely to be in employment than non-disabled people. In 2012, 46.3% of working-age disabled people are in employment compared to 76.4% 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
The number of disabled people of working age is a concern because many are unemployed despite being capable. Employers are supposed to take on the most capable person for a position but because some don't see beyond the disability they feel the person will not be able to carry out their duties: it will be difficult for the business to support them: a fear that the person will need extra time away from work: or many other reasons. I feel that we still have an upward struggle to get the message across that often the disabled person will be a real benefit to the business.
19% of individuals in families with at least one disabled member live in relative income poverty, on a before housing costs basis, compared to 15% of individuals in families with no disabled member.
21% of children in families with at least one disabled member are in poverty, a significantly higher proportion than the 16% of children in families with no disabled member.
The gaps here appears to be a direct tie in with employment. I believe that education plays an important role here as so many disabled people have suffered a poor education in the past which will be reflected in their initial CV and lack of scholastic achievements compared to others at the interview stage. The disabled people who are unable to find work will find that they stay in the poverty zone and are unlikely to be able to pull themselves out. And as we know, this group are fighting higher prices across the board, often shopping at local convenience stores where goods can be slightly more expensive. This also applies to utilities where they are tied to higher rates or even on paid meter charges. And all of these slight increases add up and eat into low incomes.
We all realise too that low income families often buy less nutritious foods, sometimes through necessity but often through ignorance. We are bombarded with cooking programmes on TV, most of which take some experience to duplicate at home. Convenience foods rule. But home cooing from raw ingredients is cheaper and nutritious.
Between 2005 to 2006 and 2010 to 2011, the percentage of pupils at the end of Key Stage 4 achieving 5 or more GCSEs at grades A* to C has:
Around a third of disabled people experience difficulties related to their impairment in accessing public, commercial and leisure goods and services.
Despite the different legislation, starting with the DDA 2004, only a small percentage of businesses and organisations have taken any practical steps to remove obstacles and there is still a lack of awareness about disability that creates discrimination.
I know from experience as a disability access consultant and auditor that many public facilities are in older building where access is difficult and barriers cannot always be removed, and I believe that this, together with the difficulties around crowds of people has lead to less disabled people attending cultural, social or sporting activities. The Paralympics have done much in the last few years to change our perspective regarding disable people and this can only lead us towards a more inclusive society.
Disabled people are significantly less likely to engage in formal volunteering. In 2010 to 2011, 23% of disabled people engaged in formal volunteering at least once a month, compared with 25% of non-disabled people.
Between 2004 to 2005 and 2011 to 2012, the percentage of buses with low-floor wheelchair access increased from 52% to 88%.
But I see that this has changed now. The deadline for having level access onto public transport was 2015 and all new buses have been suitably equipped. I have seen that locally pavements have been raised to accommodate older vehicles. This must be good news for wheelchair users.
Good news today.
The bedroom tax has been declared unlawful by the appeal court due to its impact on vulnerable individuals, dealing a significant blow to the Work and Pensions Secretary. Judges ruled that in two cases – those of a victim of extreme domestic violence and grandparents of a severely disabled teenager – the government’s policy amounted to unlawful discrimination.
The disability case was brought by Paul and Sue Rutherford, grandparents of Warren, who is seriously disabled child and who needs overnight care in a specially adapted room.
In both cases, the claimants faced a cut in housing benefit because they were deemed to be “under-occupying” the additional rooms which were classified as spare.
This should be good news for those caring for other severely disabled people needing similar care in similar situations.
regards
General demographics and Employment
There are over 11 million people with a limiting long term illness, impairment or disability. The most commonly-reported impairments are those that affect mobility, lifting or carrying .
The prevalence of disability rises with age. Around 6% of children
are disabled, compared to 16% of working age adults and 45% of adults
over State Pension age .It is obvious that the number of adults over the State Pension age is going to be high. This group usually fear and expectthat they will gain a disability as they grow older.
Disabled people remain significantly less likely to be in employment than non-disabled people. In 2012, 46.3% of working-age disabled people are in employment compared to 76.4% of working-age non-disabled people. There is
The number of disabled people of working age is a concern because many are unemployed despite being capable. Employers are supposed to take on the most capable person for a position but because some don't see beyond the disability they feel the person will not be able to carry out their duties: it will be difficult for the business to support them: a fear that the person will need extra time away from work: or many other reasons. I feel that we still have an upward struggle to get the message across that often the disabled person will be a real benefit to the business.
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% of individuals in families with at least one disabled member live in relative income poverty, on a before housing costs basis, compared to 15% of individuals in families with no disabled member.
21% of children in families with at least one disabled member are in poverty, a significantly higher proportion than the 16% of children in families with no disabled member.
The gaps here appears to be a direct tie in with employment. I believe that education plays an important role here as so many disabled people have suffered a poor education in the past which will be reflected in their initial CV and lack of scholastic achievements compared to others at the interview stage. The disabled people who are unable to find work will find that they stay in the poverty zone and are unlikely to be able to pull themselves out. And as we know, this group are fighting higher prices across the board, often shopping at local convenience stores where goods can be slightly more expensive. This also applies to utilities where they are tied to higher rates or even on paid meter charges. And all of these slight increases add up and eat into low incomes.
We all realise too that low income families often buy less nutritious foods, sometimes through necessity but often through ignorance. We are bombarded with cooking programmes on TV, most of which take some experience to duplicate at home. Convenience foods rule. But home cooing from raw ingredients is cheaper and nutritious.
Education
And now for some good news.Between 2005 to 2006 and 2010 to 2011, the percentage of pupils at the end of Key Stage 4 achieving 5 or more GCSEs at grades A* to C has:
-
increased from 66.3% to 88.9% for students without Special Educational Needs (SEN)
-
increased from 19.8% to 59.2% for students with SEN without a statement
-
increased from 8.7% to 24.9% for students with SEN with a statement
pupils at the end of Key Stage 4 achieving 5 or more GCSEs at grades A* to C has:
The gap for students with and without special educational needs without a statement has dramatically closed which means that there will be more opportunities for work in the future for these disabled people. They will be able to compete at the interview stage and hopefully will have sufficiently strong personalities to impress the interviewer.
19.2% of working age disabled people do not hold any formal qualification, compared to 6.5% of working age non-disabled people. With the educational success in recent years this will improve as explained above14.9% of working age disabled people hold degree-level qualifications compared to 28.1% of working age non-disabled people. There is a wide gap here but it is hoped that universities are making a bigger effort to fulfill the needs of disabled students and putting them on a more level playing field.
Independent living
Over a quarter of disabled people say that they do not frequently have choice and control over their daily livesDiscrimination
Disabled people are significantly more likely to experience unfair treatment at work than non-disabled people. In 2008, 19% of disabled people experienced unfair treatment at work compared to 13% of non-disabled people.Around a third of disabled people experience difficulties related to their impairment in accessing public, commercial and leisure goods and services.
Despite the different legislation, starting with the DDA 2004, only a small percentage of businesses and organisations have taken any practical steps to remove obstacles and there is still a lack of awareness about disability that creates discrimination.
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 to 2006. However, disabled people are less likely to have attended a library over the same period.I know from experience as a disability access consultant and auditor that many public facilities are in older building where access is difficult and barriers cannot always be removed, and I believe that this, together with the difficulties around crowds of people has lead to less disabled people attending cultural, social or sporting activities. The Paralympics have done much in the last few years to change our perspective regarding disable people and this can only lead us towards a more inclusive society.
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 to 2006. However disabled people are less likely to have attended a library over the same periodDisabled people are significantly less likely to engage in formal volunteering. In 2010 to 2011, 23% of disabled people engaged in formal volunteering at least once a month, compared with 25% of non-disabled people.
Transport
Around a fifth of disabled people report having difficulties related to their impairment or disability in accessing transportBetween 2004 to 2005 and 2011 to 2012, the percentage of buses with low-floor wheelchair access increased from 52% to 88%.
But I see that this has changed now. The deadline for having level access onto public transport was 2015 and all new buses have been suitably equipped. I have seen that locally pavements have been raised to accommodate older vehicles. This must be good news for wheelchair users.
Housing
Although the gap in non-decent accommodation has closed over recent years, 1 in 3 households with a disabled person still live in non-decent accommodation. 1 in 5 disabled people requiring adaptations to their home believe that their accommodation is not suitable.Good news today.
The bedroom tax has been declared unlawful by the appeal court due to its impact on vulnerable individuals, dealing a significant blow to the Work and Pensions Secretary. Judges ruled that in two cases – those of a victim of extreme domestic violence and grandparents of a severely disabled teenager – the government’s policy amounted to unlawful discrimination.
The disability case was brought by Paul and Sue Rutherford, grandparents of Warren, who is seriously disabled child and who needs overnight care in a specially adapted room.
In both cases, the claimants faced a cut in housing benefit because they were deemed to be “under-occupying” the additional rooms which were classified as spare.
This should be good news for those caring for other severely disabled people needing similar care in similar situations.
regards
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