Facts and figures

2007 national survey data included 66% people with physical impairment; 15% hearing impairment; 12% visual impairment; 11% a fluctuating condition; 10% a mental health condition; 2% learning difficulties; and 20% ‘other'. 47% of disabled people were over retirement age (compared with 20% of the general population). (ODI/NOP survey)

Data on employment indicate that:

In 2007 the employment rate of disabled people was 47.2% compared to 74.9% for general population (UK Labour Force Survey)

The employment rate of disabled people increased (from 38.1% in 1998).

In 2007 the employment rate gap between disabled people and the general population was 26.5% (reduced from 35% in 1998).

Data on education indicate that:

In 2006/7 there were 89,400 children enrolled in special schools in England, about 1% of the school population, or 40% of children with a statement of special educational need (Pupil Level Annual Schools Census)

Between 2005/06 and 2006/07, the percentage of pupils achieving 5 or more GCSEs exams at grades A*-C increased (National Pupil Database).

Data on accessibility indicate that:

In 2007, 24% of disabled people experienced any difficulty using transport, little changed from 25% in 2005 (ONS Omnibus Survey)

The percentage of buses with low floor wheelchair access increased from 50.4% in 2005/06 to 62% in 2007/08 (Department for Transport's annual sample survey of bus operators)

In 2001, 35.7% of people with ‘long-term limiting illness or disability' lived in a household with access to a car, compared to 19.4% of the general population (2001 Census)

In 2006/7, 78% of disabled people requiring adaptations to their home felt their accommodation was suitable for their needs (Survey of English Housing).

Between 2005 and 2007, the percentage of disabled people experiencing difficulties in accessing goods or services decreased from 37% to 33% (ONS Omnibus Survey)

In 2008, all of the public service broadcasters were providing 100% TV captioning (or close to it) compared to a maximum of 85% in 2005. The 10% audio description quota was also exceeded (Ofcom Code on Television Access Services)

In 2006, 49% of households where someone is disabled had access to the Internet, compared to 71% households where no-one is disabled and this gap increased from 2005 (British Social Attitudes Survey)

Data from the MeAC accessibility survey (2007) showed that

1 out of 6 of the selected public websites, and none of the commercial websites, passed the manual accessibility evaluation

The main emergency number was accessible by text phone,

Both public television channels provided more than 97% national language TV programs with subtitling, and some programmes with signing (c5%) or audio description.

Both commercial TV channels provided more than 90% national language programs with subtitling and provided signing (90.6% in one case) or audio description (10-16%).

Neither of the two main banks had installed talking ATMs.

Data on poverty and incomes indicate that:

In 2006/7, 27% of people in households where someone is disabled were living in income poverty (below 60% median income after housing costs), compared to 20% in households where no-one is disabled (Family Resources Survey)

In 2006/7, 31% of disabled adults (aged 25 to retirement) were living in low-income households (compared to 16% of non-disabled adults). ‘The main reason that disabled working-age adults are more likely to be in low-income households is because they are less likely to be in work'. (The Poverty Site)

Data on attitudes indicate that:

In 2001, 8% of respondents identified themselves as disabled, above the EU15 average of 5% (Eurobarometer 54.2)

Between 2005 and 2007, the percentage of the general population aware of the Disability Discrimination Act (DDA) decreased from 73.2% to 71.6% (ONS Omnibus Survey)

The 2007 Special Eurobarometer on Discrimination in Europe showed that 66% of people knew someone who was disabled (compared to 55% EU average) and 74% acknowledged that being disabled tended to be disadvantage in society (EU average 79%).

Disability discrimination was viewed as widespread by 47% (EU average 53%); 25% thought that disability discrimination was more widespread than five years ago. 46% thought that not enough was being done to combat discrimination in general (EU average 51%).

80% thought that more disabled people should be in the workplace (EU average 74%) and 83% thought specific measures on equal opportunities were needed in this field.

Data on public spending indicate that:

In 2006 the UK spent 8.7% of total social benefit expenditure on disability benefits compared to the EU27 average of 7.5% (European System of integrated Social Protection Statistics, provisional data).

In 2005 the UK spent 2.4% of GDP on incapacity related benefits (including all public, mandatory private, cash and in-kind benefits) compared to the OECD average of 2.6% (OECD Social Expenditure Database).