Life Opportunities Survey Ian O Sullivan ONS Social Surveys

Outline Background LOS Publications LOS definitions of impairment & disability LOS results –Leisure –Employment –Education –Transport

Background What is the Life Opportunities Survey? Equality –Disabled people in Great Britain should have the same choice and opportunities as non-disabled people Overview of survey design -37,500 households -General population sample

Publications LOS Interim Report Executive summary 2009/10 –Statistical bulletin –Easy Read Executive Summary –Braille –Audio LOS Full Wave 1 Report – December 2011 LOS Interim Wave 2 Report – March 2012

Publications contd

New Approach. Defining Disability The medical model restrictions and limitations in the lives of disabled people are a direct result of their impairments. The social model Disability is the disadvantage which results from society's failure to respond to the needs of people with impairments

Results 26 per cent of adults in Great Britain were disabled as defined by the DDA 29 per cent of adults in Great Britain had an impairment

Leisure, community and civic life 79 per cent of adults did not participate in leisure activities as much as they wanted. Adults with impairments were more likely than adults without impairments to experience barriers to participating in all eight leisure and civic activities (83 % versus 78%). Adults with impairments were more likely to experience barriers to participating in sport than adults without impairments (72 per cent and 52 per cent respectively).

Participation restriction prevalence by leisure activity for adults by impairment status, 2009/10

Barriers to leisure and civic activities Among all adults the most common barriers to taking part in leisure activities were that they were too expensive or too busy. Difficulties with transport were more likely to have been a barrier for adults with impairments compared to adults without impairments. Public transport was a key barrier to leisure activities especially in the evening when adults with impairments were less confident in driving and public transport options were more limited.

Employment 56 per cent of adults with impairments said there were barriers to the type of work they did or the hours they could work. This compares with only 26 per cent of adults without impairments. The following slides look at the different barriers and enablers at work. Enablers are the things that help people to live their lives the way they want to, and do the everyday things other people do. For example, having a personal assistant and being allowed to change working hours.

Adults in employment 33 per cent of adults with impairments said there were barriers to the type of work they did or the hours they could work. This compares with only 18 per cent of adults without impairments. The top 2 barriers for adults with impairments who already had a job were: 1.Looking after their family (29 per cent). 2.Too few chances for them to move into better jobs (18 per cent).

Adults seeking employment 50 per cent of adults with impairments who were looking for a job said they had barriers to the type of work they could do or the hours they could work. This compares with only 29 per cent of adults without impairments. The top 2 barriers for adults with impairments who were looking for a job were: 1.Too few chances for them to get a job (41 per cent). This was the top barrier for adults without impairments too (41 per cent). 2. Difficulty getting to and from work (31 per cent).

Adults not seeking work The top 2 barriers for adults with impairments who were not looking for a job were: 1.Looking after their family (23 per cent). This was the top barrier for adults without impairments too. 2.Feeling nervous about working (19 per cent). 70 per cent of adults with impairments who were not looking for a job said they did not work because of reasons related to their health or impairment.

Enablers to employment Things that helped people to work: -Being able to change working hours or work fewer hours -Requesting and receiving equipment and adaptations -Good, accessible transport services -Receiving appropriate information and advice -Being trained or re-trained to do a job -Employers thinking about disabled people in a good way

Learning 12 per cent of adults did not have access to all the learning opportunities they wanted. Adults with impairments were almost twice as likely as adults without impairments to experience a barrier to learning (17 per cent compared to 9 per cent). The most common barrier to learning was cost.

Learning The second most common barrier was being too busy or not having enough time. Difficulty with transport was identified as a barrier more often by adults with impairments (18 per cent) than those without impairments (8 per cent).

Transport Motor vehicles, local and long distance trains, local and long distance buses, the underground, and taxis/minicabs. 74 per cent of adults with impairments did not use at least one mode of transport either at all, or as much as they would like because of experiencing at least one barrier. Compared with 58 per cent of adults without impairments.

Modes of transport used by adults by impairment status, 2009/10

Barriers to using transport The most common barrier experienced by all adults to using transport was cost. For example, 34 per cent of adults with impairments did not use long distance buses because of the cost of tickets, compared with 40 per cent of adults without impairments.

For further information ONS Social Surveys (01633)