The Office for National Statistics has published its second statistical bulletin in the series Coronavirus and the social impacts on disabled people in Great Britain, presenting data from the National Opinions and Lifestyle Survey collected from 14 to 24 May 2020. The report concludes that:
Disabled people were more likely to report that the pandemic and its effects are negatively impacting their mental health compared to non-disabled people and are also more likely to report they feel lonely.
Disabled people are much more likely to stay in their homes all the time: just over a quarter of disabled people reported not leaving their home for any reason over the previous seven days, compared to less than one in ten non-disabled people.
Disabled people are much less likely to report having left their home to exercise or to work, and are twice as likely to say they feel very unsafe outside their home compared to non- disabled people.
Disabled people are also more likely to report being unable to pay an unexpected, but necessary, expense of £850 (40% vs 25% of non-disabled people).
One third of disabled people reported self-isolating because of the COVID-19 outbreak, compared to 15% of disabled people.
You can also read the general findings from a recent survey on Shielding carried out by Disability Rights UK here saying that disabled people feel isolated, alone and forgotten.
