ONS blog

2 December 2022

What have we learned about the experience of disabled people?

22% of people in the UK are disabled

Tomorrow (3 December) is the UN International Day for Persons with Disabilities.  With the most recent estimates from the Department for Work and Pensions (DWP) putting the proportion of disabled people in the UK at 22% in 2021 (up from 19% a decade ago), this is a sizeable and very diverse group. Here, Helen Colvin and Josephine Foubert from the Office for National Statistics (ONS) look at some of the work we have been doing recently to give insight into the lives of disabled children and adults.

I found this shocking but perhaps unsurprising.  Reminded me of the first time I travelled up to Waterloo by train with my new baby – I looked round and realised about 50% of people were  elderly, ill, on crutches, a wheel chair user, carrying or dealing with heavy luggage or were pushing prams or push chairs. What they all had in common was the need for level surfaces and ramps.

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