General disability research, statistics and reports

Disability is not a minority issue, as demonstrated by the wide range of statistics below:

– The World Health Organisation (WHO) estimates that disabled people make up 10% of the population – around 650 million people.
– 39 million disabled people in Europe. (Source: CSR Europe)
– 11 million disabled people in Britain (Source: Prime Minister’s Strategy Unit)
– Only 17% of disabled people were born with their disabilities (Source: Institute for Public Policy Research article Work for disabled people)
– Britain’s disabled people are estimated to spend £80 billion per year ( Source: DWP)
– 2% of the working age UK population becomes disabled every year
– 78% of disabled people acquire their impairment aged 16 or older. (Source: Employers Forum on Disability)
– One in four people will be affected by mental ill health in the course of their life (Source: Mind)
– One in six people of the working age population (aged 16 to 64) in Europe has either a long-standing health problem or a disability. (Source: Employers Forum on Disability)
– One in four men and one in five women will suffer a critical illness before they are 65 (Source: Health insurance: the online guide to critical illness insurance)
– Disability is estimated to affect 10 per cent to 20 per cent of every country’s population, a percentage that is expected to grow because of poor health care and nutrition early in life, growing elderly populations and violent civil conflicts. (Source:: CSR Europe)
– Only 8 per cent of disabled people in the UK use a wheelchair. (Source: CSR Europe, ‘Disability: facts and figures’ 2007)
– For every child killed in warfare, three are injured and permanently disabled (Source: UN).
– 25% of the entire population is either directly or indirectly affected by a disability (Source: UN and World Bank).

Department for Work and Pensions (DWP) – Where to find data?

Making Disability Data Work For You – A document compiled by the DWP and the Office for Disability Issues to assist groups in finding and using data.

Click here: Community Data Toolkit (PDF 385kb)

Disability Rights UK and Shaping Our Lives – User driven commissioning

The following report draws on the lived experiences of people with disabilities and older people within six local areas to establish, strengthen and support user driven commissioning of services.

Click here: User driven commissioning (PDF 400kb)

Change – How to make information accessible

This guide provides clear guidelines for organisations on producing documents and information in accessible, easy to read text and pictures.

Click here: How to make information accessible guide (PDF 4.2mb)

National Council for Voluntary Organisations (NCVO) – Trustee guide to campaigning and influencing

Not sure on how to make a change to a service or influence a decision maker? The following document helps guide you through the various processes, understanding what is required by law and examples of good practice where individuals has made a positive impact.

Click here: NCVO Trustee guide to campaigning and influencing (PDF 650kb)