Brief facts about disabled people

Disabled New Zealanders

• One in five people have an impairment.
• The rate of impairment increases with age – more than half of people over 65 have an impairment (52%). People over 85 have the highest rate of impairment (87%).
• Most disabled people have more than one type of impairment.
• More than 400,000 people require some long-term disability supports to enhance their independence and participation.
• Physical impairments are the most common type of impairment.

Experience of multiple disadvantage

Disabled people experience significant multiple disadvantage in areas of life compared with non-disabled people.

Income

• Almost half of disabled adults aged 18 - 64 have incomes of less than $15,000 per year.
• With access to housing, affordability is an important factor. Disabled adults were less likely than adults without a disability to own or partly own their home.

Education

Employment