Research and analysis

Appendix 1: respondent profile

Published 17 July 2025

Survey respondents per region and area

Area type %
Urban 36%
Rural 29%
Suburban 29%
Don’t know 9% 
Region or nation %
Wales                    7%
Scotland                 8%
Northern Ireland         2%
North East               5%
North West               10%
Yorkshire and the Humber 9%   
East Midlands            8%   
West Midlands            8%   
East                     8%
London                   9%
South East               14%
South West               12%

Income and finances

Household income %
Up to £10,399 per year            5%   
From £10,400 to £15,999 per year  29%  
From £16,000 to £25,999 per year  20%  
From £26,000 to £36,399 per year  10%  
From £36,400 to £51,999 per year  8%   
From £52,000 to £77,999 per year  3%   
Over £78,000 per year             3%   
I don’t know                      9%   
Prefer not to say                 13%  
Household income combined %
Low income (less than £15,999 per year)     55%  
Not low income (more than £16,000 per year) 45%  
Income source %
Benefits (for example, Universal Credit, Personal Independence Payment, Disability Living Allowance, Employment and Support Allowance, Attendance Allowance) 77%  
State pension  31%  
Other personal or occupational pensions 24%  
Rely on money given to me by family or loved ones   12%  
Employment  12%  
Interest from savings or investments   7%   
Self-employment     6%   
Income support and tax credits   6%   
Other (please specify)   4%   
Student finance   1%   
Prefer not to say   1%   
Asylum seeker allowance     1%   
Benefit type                                                          %
Personal Independence Payment (PIP)                                        78%  
Employment and Support Allowance (ESA)                                     39%  
Universal Credit (UC)                                                      20%  
Disability Living Allowance (DLA)                                          17%  
Other (please specify)                                                     7%   
Attendance Allowance (AA)                                                  5%   
Adult Disability Payment (ADP)                                             3%   
Other benefits which qualify for a cost of living payment (please specify) 3%
Child Disability Payment                                                   1%   

Impairment type

Respondents were asked to record their impairment or condition. This was a multiple-choice question and respondents could select as many impairment categories as required.

What categories best describe your impairment(s), condition(s) or access need(s) that limit your activities in your day to day life?

Impairment %
Mobility                                   86%  
Stamina, breathing or fatigue              51%  
Dexterity                                  40%  
Mental health                              33%  
Memory                                     22%  
Hearing                                    20%  
Learning or understanding or concentrating 16%  
Vision                                     15%  
Other                                      13%  
Social or behavioural                      9%   
Other impairment %
Chronic pain                  72%  
Non-visible health conditions 66%  
Continence issues             49%  
Diet                          46%  
Other                         29%  
Communicating                 25%  
Appearance                    7%   
None of the above             1%   
Impairment groups %
Physical                   91%  
Sensory                    48%  
Cognitive or mental health 31%  
Other                      13%  

Other demographics

Age combined %
State pension age (over 66 years old) 68%  
Working age (18 to 65 years old)      32%  
Age groups    %
18 to 20 years old 1%   
21 to 45 years old 19%  
46 to 60 years old 33%  
Over 61 years old  47%  
Other disabled person in household %
Yes                                     55%  
No                                      44%  
Not applicable                          1%   
Parent of a disabled child %
Yes                             15%  
No                              85%  
Living situation            %
Living with family              59%  
Living alone                    35%  
Living with others (non-family) 5%   
Housing tenure                               %
Rent from private landlord                        11%  
Home ownership with mortgage                      14%  
Shared ownership (part rent, part buy)            2%   
Rent from my local authority                      18%  
Live with others without paying rent or mortgage. 3%   
Supported living                                  1%   
Other                                             3%   
Prefer not to say                                 1%   
Home ownership without mortgage                   28%  
Rent from a housing association                   19%  
I have no fixed place of residence                0%   
Temporary accommodation                           1%   
Gender                          %
Female                              63%  
Male                                34%  
Non-binary                          1%   
I use another term (please specify) 1%   
Prefer not to say                   1%   
Ethnicity                                  %
Asian or Asian British                         2%   
Black or African or Caribbean or Black British 2%   
White                                          92%  
Mixed or Multiple ethnic groups                1%   
Other ethnic group (please specify)            1%   
Prefer not to say                              2%