It is estimated that people with disabilities represent at least 15 per cent of the world population or more than 1 billion individuals.
Source: World Health Organization Report on Disability, 2011

There are between 180 and 220 million youth with disabilities worldwide, and nearly 80 percent of them live in developing countries.
Source: Employment & Youth with Disabilities: Sharing Knowledge and Practices, P. Roggero, R. Tarricone, M.Nicoli and V.Mangiaterrra, 2005.

Source: United Nations, Youth with Disabilities.

Live
Over 40% of railways stations in Great Britain do not have step-free access.
Source: Leonard Cheshire, Disabled people cannot use over 40% of Great Britain’s train stations, 2018

35% of disabled people say they have experienced problems using the train.
Source: ComRes polling, UK, 2018

Disabled people between the ages of 18-65 represent one third of social care users.
Source: Papworth Trust, Facts and Figures 2018

Half (50%) of all people in poverty live in a family that includes a disabled person.
Source: Social Metrics Commission. Measuring Poverty 2020, July 2020.

Learn
Nearly half (49 per cent) of 25 - 64 year olds with a learning disability or difficulty in Great Britain have no qualifications.
Source: Equality and Human Rights Commission, April 2017

More than 260 million children in the world still do not go to school. An estimated one-third of all out-of-school children at primary level have a disability.
Source: World Bank, 2017, Towards a Disability Inclusive Education, A-M Saebones et al, July 2015

65 million primary and secondary school age children globally have a disability. At least half of these (30 million) children do not have a school place.
Source: Education Commission Report, 2016

Note: these data are based on lower- and middle-income countries, not global figures. Children were of primary and lower-secondary school age and are top-end estimates.

Work
Only around half (53.7%) of disabled people are in work, compared to more than four-fifths (82%) of non-disabled people.
Source: Office for National Statistics, A08: Labour market status of disabled people, November 2021

1 in 5 (19%) employers say they would be less likely to hire someone with a disability.
The cost of making workplace adjustments was cited as a barrier for almost 70% of employers.
Source: Leonard Cheshire, Still Locked Out, 2021.

Access to work can pay 100 per cent of costs if applied for in the first six weeks of an individual’s employment and can fund eligible costs up to £62,900 (2021/22).
Source: Access to Work factsheet for employers, 2021