Disability Statistics

This is a selection of statistics, some real facts to dispel the myths that are commonly perpetuated.

8.7 million people in the UK have a disability covered by the DDA (20% of the adult population have at least one type of disability)

8.7 million people in the UK are deaf or hard of hearing
Of which:

• about 1.4 million use hearing aids
• less than 1% use British Sign Language

8 million people are affected by diseases related to arthritis

1 in 5 of us will have a period of mental illness at some point in our lives

4.6 million people have difficulty in walking of which about 800,000 use a wheelchair at least part time (less than 10% of all disabled people)

Colour blindness affects 5 to 8 % of the male population and around 1% of the female population.

2.3 million people have tinnitis which they find moderately or severely annoying making it difficult to sleep

1.97 million have impaired sight

Of which about:

• 1.7 million have a serious sight problem
• 3% or 19,000 read Braille
• Only about 5% have no residual vision
• 33% of visually impaired people cannot read any form of print

1 million people have communication difficulties

1-2% of the population have mild learning disabilities

1% of adults in the UK stammer (men are four times more likely to be affected than women)

250,000 people have a severe facial disfigurement

3-4 per 1000 of the general population has severe learning disabilities

There are 23,000 Deafblind people in the UK

The above is only a small sample of the information we have available, should the item you seek not be listed above please contact us for additional items.