TALKING ABOUT DISABILITY
More people than ever are registered disabled - with society becoming more open in addressing the issue
M ORE people in the UK are registered as being disabled than ever before, new figures have revealed - with one in five people in the country dealing with a disability.
The latest data from the Department for Work and Pensions (DWP) shows that 13.9 million people in the UK were registered as disabled in 2016/17.
That is 22 per cent of the population - the highest level seen since at least 2006/07, when comparable records begin.
It is also an increase from the 10.8 million disabled people registered a decade earlier - 18 per cent of the population.
A person is considered to be disabled if they report a longstanding illness or impairment that causes substantial difficulty with daily activities.
Disabled people can experience more than one type of impairment, but mobility remains the most commonly reported.
More than half (51 per cent) of the disabled population, or 7.1 million people, say they experience this.
Nearly four in every 10 disabled people report that they suffer from stamina, breathing, or fatigue impairments - 5.4 million people in total. Issues with dexterity cause problems for more than a quarter (28 per cent) of people with disabilities, or 3.9 million people. Meanwhile, mental health conditions are on the rise, with nearly a quarter (24 per cent) of disabled people suffering from these types of impairment. The number of people experiencing these has risen sharply in just a few short years. In 2016/17, 3.4 million people had a mental health-related disability - nearly a third more than the 2.6 million recorded in 2014/15. A spokesperson for the charity Scope said: “We believe more people have disabilities because of a combination of people living longer and people being more confident coming out and talking about their disability.
“Hidden disabilities are also now recognised. When barriers are removed, disabled people can be independent and equal in society, with choice and control over their own lives.
“We want to support disabled people to live the life they choose, and everyone should have access to the care and support they need, for everyday life and life’s big moments.” A DWP spokesperson said: “It’s really encouraging that more people than ever before are declaring their disability, as attitudes towards disabilities continue to improve. “We’re spending more than ever before to support disabled people and those with health conditions but we know it’s not just about money. “We are committed to ensuring disabled people can reach their potential, and across government we’re ensuring that whether it be the workplace, sport or attending a music concert, they are able to participate fully in society.”