Disability in context, labour market overview

There were 8.6m people of working age in the UK in 2021 with disabilities (as defined by the Equality Act 2010) - i.e. 21% of the total working age population.

Amongst those with disabilities, just 53% were in work compared with 75% of individuals as a whole (aged 16-64). Conversely, 43% of those with disabilities were classed as ‘inactive’ compared with just 21% of the wider population.

Disability and economic activity of the working aged population (2021)

Source: Analysis of ONS Quarterly Labour Force Survey by BCS
* includes a small number of individuals in work but not as employees / self-employed (i.e., <1% of the total)

Though accounting for 21% of the population, people with disabilities constituted only 15% of the total UK workforce in 2021 (i.e. 14% of workers that were employees, 16% of those that were self-employed and 26% of those in other working arrangements).