A new report, ‘Understanding how the social security system stops Disabled people from being physically active, and how it needs to change to enable them to do more’, from Disability Rights UK with Durham University finds that:
- 1-in-4 (25%) Disabled people have had benefits or financial assistance removed for being physically active
- 4-in-5 (80%) worry about being physically active because they are scared of having their benefits denied or taken away
- Only 1-in-5 (20%) is happy with the amount of physical activity they currently do
- Nearly 3-in-4 (75%) would likely be more active if they knew it wouldn’t negatively impact their benefits
The problem is, in part, caused by a system that creates barriers for Disabled people, as well as the following harmful myths:
- Being Disabled means you can’t do any kind of physical activity
- Disability, pain levels and physical capacity always stay the same
- Being able to do something once proves you can do it regularly
We know from Sport England’s Active Lives that people with a disability or long term health condition are less active than those without. ‘Inactivity’ (defined as less than 30 minutes activity per week) increases with multiple conditions – reaching around 45% for those with 3 or more conditions, compared to 20% among people with no conditions.