Inequalities in good health by disability status

Disabled people living in the south of England are more likely to report good health than disabled people living in the north

Disability in this analysis is defined based on someone’s assessment of whether their daily activities are limited by having a long-term physical or mental health condition, as under the Equality Act 2010. This assessment can be affected by a variety of environmental and societal factors, such as stigma and discrimination, exclusion from education and employment opportunities, and barriers within the health system, which can limit people’s full and effective participation in society, as well as affect their health.  

This chart shows the proportion of people reporting good health by disability status and region in England and Wales, as well as the difference between disabled people and non-disabled people in each region. 

• On average, over 90% of non-disabled people report being in good health. This compares with just 32% of disabled people who report being in good health.
• Disabled people living in southern regions tend to be more likely to report good health than disabled people living in northern regions. In the South East, the proportion of disabled people who report having good health is 35.3%, compared with just 28.9% in the North East.
• This partly reflects broader health trends across England and Wales: non-disabled people also tend to be more likely to report good health in the south than in the north of England: in London 94% of non-disabled people report good health, compared with 91% in the North East.
• However, the gap in the proportion of disabled and non-disabled people reporting good health is slightly higher in the north of England. In the North East, 91% of non-disabled people and 29% of disabled people report good health – a difference of 63%. In contrast, in the South East, 93% of non-disabled people and 35% of disabled people report good health, a difference of 58%.