This publication is part of a series of results from Census 2022. More thematic publications will be published throughout 2023 as outlined in the Census 2022 Publication Schedule.
The census question on the extent to which difficulties were experienced provides information on the impact of long-lasting conditions or difficulties on everyday activities.
Of the total 1.1 million people who experienced at least one long-lasting condition or difficulty to any extent, just under 350,000 had difficulty participating in other activities, almost half of whom (46%) experienced this difficulty to a great extent.
A difficulty working at a job or business or attending school or college was recorded by 303,859 people, 58% of whom experienced this difficulty to a great extent.
In general, those experiencing at least one long-lasting condition or difficulty to any extent had lower levels of education compared with the general population.
The proportion of the population aged 15 years and over who had completed their full-time education up to primary school level (including no formal education) was 10%.
Among people experiencing a long-lasting condition or difficulty to any extent, the equivalent percentage was 19%.
This rose to 28% for people experiencing a long-lasting condition or difficulty to a great extent.
While just over a quarter of the population aged 15 years and over who completed their full-time education had an honours degree or higher, only 18% of those experiencing a long-lasting condition or difficulty to any extent had the same qualification.
Just 10% of those who experienced a long-lasting condition or difficulty to a great extent had an honours degree or a higher qualification.
The proportion of people who completed different levels of education varied across the types of conditions or difficulties experienced.
The highest proportion of people with no formal or primary school education only who experienced a long-lasting condition or difficulty to any extent was recorded by those experiencing an intellectual disability, at 42%.
The lowest proportion of people with no formal or primary school education only who experienced a long-lasting condition or difficulty to any extent was recorded by those experiencing a psychological or emotional condition or mental health issue, at 15%.
The highest proportion of people experiencing a long-lasting condition or difficulty to a great extent with no formal or primary school education only was recorded by those experiencing an intellectual disability, at 55%.
The lowest proportion of people experiencing a long-lasting condition or difficulty to a great extent with no formal or primary school education only was recorded by those experiencing a psychological or emotional condition or mental health issue, at 22%.
The highest proportion of people attaining an honours degree or higher qualification who experienced a long-lasting condition or difficulty to any extent was recorded by those experiencing either a psychological or emotional condition or a mental health issue or blindness or a vision impairment, at 21%.
The lowest proportion of people attaining an honours degree or higher qualification who experienced a long-lasting condition or difficulty to any extent was recorded by those experiencing an intellectual disability, at 5%.
The highest proportion of people attaining an honours degree or higher qualification who experienced a long-lasting condition or difficulty to a great extent was recorded by those experiencing a psychological or emotional condition or a mental health issue, at 12%.
The lowest proportion of people attaining an honours degree or higher qualification who experienced a long-lasting condition or difficulty to a great extent was recorded by those experiencing an intellectual disability at 3%.
The census labour force participation rate is calculated as the proportion of persons aged 15 and over who are economically active (i.e. working, looking for their first regular job or unemployed) among the entire population over the age of 15.
The general participation rate in Census 2022 was 61%.
Among the 1,010,758 people aged 15 years and over who experienced at least one long-lasting condition or difficulty to any extent, 400,639 were in the labour force, meaning a 40% participation rate.
For people experiencing a long-lasting condition or difficulty to a great extent, this figure was much lower, 22%.
Half of those experiencing a long-lasting condition or difficulty to some extent were participating in the labour force.
Among people aged 15 and over who experienced a long-lasting condition or difficulty to any extent, the labour force participation rate was higher for males than females.
For each type of long-lasting condition or difficulty to any extent, males had higher labour force participation rates compared with females.
The highest labour force participation rates among people experiencing a long-lasting condition or difficulty to any extent were recorded for those experiencing blindness or a vision impairment (44%) or a psychological or emotional condition or mental health issue (43%).
Among those who experienced a long-lasting condition or difficulty to a great extent, participation was lowest among those experiencing a difficulty with basic physical activities (8%).
Those who experienced an intellectual disability to a great extent also had a relatively low labour force participation rate of 13%.
In 2022, the total number of people aged 15 years and over who were at work was 2.3 million, 56% of the total population in this age cohort. The overall unemployment rate, as measured in the census, was 8% in April 2022.
Some 34% of people aged 15 years and over with a long-lasting condition or difficulty experienced to any extent were at work.
The unemployment rate for this group of people was 13% and was higher for males than for females.
Some 17% of people aged 15 years and over with a long-lasting condition or difficulty experienced to a great extent were at work.
The unemployment rate for this group of people was 22% and was higher for males than for females.
Some 44% of people aged 15 years and over with a long-lasting condition or difficulty experienced to some extent were at work.
The unemployment rate for this group of people was 11% and was higher for males than for females.
Among people who experienced at least one long-lasting condition or difficulty to either any or a great extent, unemployment rates were generally higher among males than females. The greatest gap between male and female unemployment rates was among those experiencing a psychological or emotional condition or mental health issue to a great extent (34% for males and 25% for females).
The highest rate of unemployment among people who experienced a long-lasting condition or difficulty to any extent was recorded by those experiencing an intellectual disability, at 29%.
The lowest rate of unemployment among people who experienced a long-lasting condition or difficulty to any extent was recorded by those experiencing deafness or a hearing impairment, at 10%.
The highest rate of unemployment among people who experienced a long-lasting condition or difficulty to a great extent was recorded by those experiencing an intellectual disability, at 33%.
The lowest rate of unemployment among people who experienced a long-lasting condition or difficulty to a great extent was recorded by those experiencing deafness or a hearing impairment, at 13%.
In Census 2022, it was possible to look at short-term unemployment (less than one year in duration) and long-term unemployment (more than one year).
Six out of ten people aged 15 years and over who were unemployed were out of work on a long-term basis.
Among those experiencing a long-lasting condition or difficulty to any extent who were in short and long-term unemployment, over two-thirds were unemployed for more than a year.
For people experiencing a long-lasting condition or difficulty to a great extent, this proportion increased to 72%.
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