Disability in Oxfordshire

The rate of the population who report they are disabled has grown since 2011.

The Census 2021 tells us that the proportion of the those in Oxfordshire who report they are disabled under the Equality Act has increased since Census 2011 from 13.8% to 14.5% (+0.7 percentage points difference). This is not age-standardised.
Across England and Wales, 17.5% of the population described themselves as being disabled under the Equality Act. This was 17.9% in 2011 (-2.3% difference).

The question in 2021 was "Do you have any physical or mental health conditions or illnesses lasting or expected to last 12 months or more?". If they answered yes, a further question "Do any of your conditions or illnesses reduce your ability to carry out day-to-day activities?" was presented.

For more information please see the ONS Disability Census 2021 publication.

Table 1: Disability in Oxfordshire, 2011 to 2021

Disabled under the Equality Act	2011 (%)	2021 (%)	percentage point difference 2011-2021
Day-today activities limited a lot	5.8%	5.1%	-0.7
Day-to-day activities limited a little	8.0%	9.4%	1.4
Not disabled under the Equality Act	86.3%	85.5%	-0.8

Source: Census tables TS038, QS303EW

Long-term physical or mental health conditions

The proportion of Oxfordshire who have long-term physical or mental health conditions is greater than the England and Wales average.

With the change in the Census question (see link above), Census 2021 was able to capture more data, specifically about those who suffer from long term physical or mental health conditions, but whose day-to-day activities are not limited.

In Oxfordshire there is a higher rate of these residents (7.9%) than seen proportionally across England and Wales (6.8%). Cherwell and South Oxfordshire share the same proportion of these residents (1.7%), the highest in the county. West Oxfordshire has the lowest at 1.3%. Vale of White Horse and Oxford City both same the same proportion of residents (1.6%).

Source: Census tables TS038

Distict-level proportions of disability

Oxford is the district with the largest proportion of the population who are disabled in Oxfordshire.

In Oxfordshire, using age-standardised proportions of the population, Census 2021 tells us that Oxford has the largest proportion of residents who are classified as disabled under the Equality Act in Oxfordshire.

Table 2: Disability in Oxfordshire districts, Census 2021, age-standardised

Area	Disabled under the Equality Act: Day-to-day activities limited a lot	Disabled under the Equality Act: Day-to-day activities limited a little	Not disabled under the Equality Act
Cherwell	8,266 (5.6%)	14,776 (9.5%)	137,618 (84.9%)
Oxford	7,912 (6.2%)	15,579 (10.2%)	138,549 (83.6%)
South Oxfordshire	7,339 (4.7%)	13,560 (9.0%)	128,186 (86.2%)
Vale of White Horse	7,114 (5.0%)	13,284 (9.6%)	118,515 (85.4%)
West Oxfordshire	6,160 (5.1%)	11,136 (9.5%)	96,941 (85.4%)
Oxfordshire	37,147 (5.2%)	68,335 (9.6%)	619,809 (85.2%)
England and Wales	4,459,763 (7.6%)	5,985,013 (10.2%)	49,152,766 (82.2%)

Source: Census tables TS038