Poverty and Disability

Poverty and Disability:Poverty and Disability:

Looking inside a tie that really bindsLooking inside a tie that really bindsCameron CrawfordCameron Crawford

(Director of Research, IRIS)(Director of Research, IRIS)

22

Who are we talking about?Who are we talking about?

• People who say they have any difficulty hearing, People who say they have any difficulty hearing, seeing, communicating, walking, climbing stairs, seeing, communicating, walking, climbing stairs, bending, learning or doing any similar activities, bending, learning or doing any similar activities, and/orand/or

• People who say they have a physical condition, People who say they have a physical condition, mental condition or health problem that reduces mental condition or health problem that reduces the amount or kind of activity they can do in any the amount or kind of activity they can do in any of the following:of the following:– At homeAt home– At school or workAt school or work– In other activities (e.g., transportation, leisure)In other activities (e.g., transportation, leisure)

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• People who said yes to any of those questions People who said yes to any of those questions on Statistics Canadaon Statistics Canada’’s Participation and s Participation and Activity Limitation Survey (PALS) of 2001 or Activity Limitation Survey (PALS) of 2001 or 2006 are flagged as having a 2006 are flagged as having a ‘‘disabilitydisability’’– Includes people with an intellectual disability and Includes people with an intellectual disability and

general learning difficulties (will show some general learning difficulties (will show some breakout data)breakout data)

• Others are flagged as not having a disabilityOthers are flagged as not having a disability

44


• Working-age people (15 to 64 years)Working-age people (15 to 64 years)– 2.4 million working-age people with 2.4 million working-age people with

disabilitiesdisabilities– 18.7 million working-age people without 18.7 million working-age people without

disabilitiesdisabilities

• People whose household incomes fall People whose household incomes fall below the Low Income Cut-Off (LICO)below the Low Income Cut-Off (LICO)

55

WhatWhat’’s the LICO?s the LICO?

• Basically, itBasically, it’’s where a household spends 20% s where a household spends 20% or more of its income than the average for or more of its income than the average for similar households for food, shelter and similar households for food, shelter and clothingclothing

• There is a before-tax and after-tax LICOThere is a before-tax and after-tax LICO• II’’m using the after-tax LICO because it takes m using the after-tax LICO because it takes

into account tax credits that can leave a little into account tax credits that can leave a little more cash in peoplemore cash in people’’s pocketss pockets People living on incomes below the LICO are People living on incomes below the LICO are

sometimes said to be living below the sometimes said to be living below the ““poverty poverty lineline””

66

Why only working-age people?Why only working-age people?

• The low income rates for seniors with and The low income rates for seniors with and without disabilities are very similar and are without disabilities are very similar and are generally lower than for working-age peoplegenerally lower than for working-age people

• There are large numbers of seniors with There are large numbers of seniors with disabilitiesdisabilities

• To have included seniors would have To have included seniors would have ‘‘understatedunderstated’’ the extent of low income among the extent of low income among people with disabilitiespeople with disabilities

77

Why only working-age people?Why only working-age people?

After tax low income status of people with and without disabilities, by 5-year age groups (Source: PALS 2006)

0.05.0

10.015.020.025.0

15-19

20-24

25-29

30-34

35-39

40-44

45-49

50-54

55-59

60-64

65-69

70-74

75-79

80-84 85+

Total

Age group

Per

cent

bel

ow t

he

afte

r ta

x L

ICO

No disab. W/ disab.

88

Why only working-age?Why only working-age?

Percent with and without disabilities liv ing below the "pov erty line", including and not including seniors

9 .7 %

1 4 .4 %

1 0.2 %

2 0.5 %

0.0%

5 .0%

1 0.0%

1 5 .0%

2 0.0%

2 5 .0%

No disa b. W /disa b. No disa b. W/disa b.

In clu din g sen ior s Not in clu din g sen ior s

99

WhatWhat’’s the employment situation s the employment situation –– employment rates?employment rates?

• Low levels of Low levels of employment for employment for people with an people with an intellectual disabilityintellectual disability

Em ploy m ent rates by disability status, 2001 and 2006

7 3 .7 %

4 3 .5 %

2 7 .3 %

7 5 .5 %

4 6 .5 %

2 5 .5 %

0 .0% 2 0.0% 4 0.0% 6 0.0% 8 0.0%

No disa b.

A n y disa b.

In tell.disa b.

Dis

ab

ilit

y st

atu

s

% em ploy ed

2 0 01 2 00 6

1010

WhatWhat’’s the employment situation s the employment situation –– worked all year?worked all year?

• Much lower Much lower likelihood of full-likelihood of full-time or part-time time or part-time work for 49 to 52 work for 49 to 52 weeks of the year weeks of the year for people with an for people with an intellectual disability intellectual disability (18% vs. 33.9% and (18% vs. 33.9% and 52.2%)52.2%)

Worked 49 – 52 weeks in 2005, by disability status

4 6 .0%

2 8 .0%

1 3 .0%

6 .2 %

5 .9 %

5 .0%

0.0% 2 0.0% 4 0.0% 6 0.0%

No disa b.

A n y disa b.

In tell.disa b.

Dis

ab

ilit

y st

atu

s

% em ploy ed

Wor ked fu ll-t im e Wor ked pa r t-t im e

1111

WhatWhat’’s the employment situation s the employment situation –– accommodations?accommodations?

• Quite widespread Quite widespread need and unmet need and unmet need for job need for job accommodations accommodations among people with among people with an intellectual an intellectual disabilitydisability

Need and unm et need for one or m ore job accom m odations, 2006

2 7 .1 %

3 1 .5 %

1 3 .5 %

2 0.8 %

0.0% 2 0.0% 4 0.0%

A n y disa b.

In tell.disa b.

Dis

ab

ilit

y st

atu

s

Need job a ccom . Un m et n eed

1212

WhatWhat’’s the employment situation s the employment situation –– earnings?earnings?

• Where working: Where working: – People with any People with any

disability draw about disability draw about 70% of the earnings 70% of the earnings of people without of people without disabilitiesdisabilities

– People with an People with an intellectual disability intellectual disability draw about 50% draw about 50%

Av erage and m edian (m iddle v alue) earnings,

by disability status (2005)*

$3 7 ,3 8 4

$2 6 ,6 2 2

$1 8,04 7

$2 7 ,4 9 6

$1 8,5 2 1

$1 3 ,6 9 3

$0 $2 0,000 $4 0,000

No disa b.

A n y disa b.

In tell.disa b.

Dis

ab

ilit

y st

atu

s

A v er a ge Media n

* For people 15 years and older

1313

WhatWhat’’s the total income situation?s the total income situation?

• People with an People with an intellectual disability intellectual disability have a total income from have a total income from all sources of about 40% all sources of about 40% of the total income of of the total income of people without people without disabilitiesdisabilities– About 40.9% of the average About 40.9% of the average

and 37.9% of the median and 37.9% of the median (middle value)(middle value)

Average and m edian (m iddle value) total incom e, by disability status (2005)*

$3 7 ,3 09

$2 8 ,5 03

$1 5 ,2 4 7

$2 7 ,4 9 6

$1 9 ,1 9 9

$1 0,4 1 5

$0 $2 0,000 $4 0,000

No disa b.

A n y disa b.

In tell.disa b.

Dis

ab

ilit

y st

atu

s

A v er a ge Media n

* For people 15 years and older

1414

What about social assistance?What about social assistance?

• People with an People with an intellectual disability are intellectual disability are quite likely to be quite likely to be attached to provincial attached to provincial social assistance systems social assistance systems (45.5% vs. 17% of people(45.5% vs. 17% of peoplewith any disability)with any disability)

Received social assistance, 2005

1 7 .0%

4 5 .5 %

0.0% 2 0.0% 4 0.0% 6 0.0%

A n y disa b.

In tell.disa b.

Dis

ab

ilit

y s

tatu

s

1515

How suitable is the housing?How suitable is the housing?

• People with any form of People with any form of learning difficulty are learning difficulty are more likely to be living in more likely to be living in places that require major places that require major repairs (e.g., structural, repairs (e.g., structural, wiring, plumbing)wiring, plumbing)

Housing in need of m ajor repairs

6 .6 %

1 2 .1 %

1 3 .2 %

0.0% 1 0.0% 2 0.0%

No disa b.

A n y disa b.

A n ylea r n in g

Dis

ab

ilit

y st

atu

s

1616

WhatWhat’’s the poverty situation s the poverty situation ––in in general?general?

• People with disabilities People with disabilities are twice as likely to be are twice as likely to be living below the poverty living below the poverty line (20.5% vs. 10.2%)line (20.5% vs. 10.2%)– 500,000 working-age 500,000 working-age

people with disabilities people with disabilities are in low income are in low income situationssituations

• People with an intellectual People with an intellectual disability are almost three disability are almost three times more likely (26.8%)times more likely (26.8%)

Poverty rates by disability status, 2006

1 0.2 %

2 0.5 %

2 6 .8%

0.0% 2 0.0% 4 0.0%

No disa b.

A n y disa b.

In tell.disa b.

Dis

ab

ilit

y st

atu

s

% below a fter -ta x LICO

In g en er a l

1717

WhatWhat’’s the poverty situation s the poverty situation ––by by living arrangements?living arrangements?

• People with People with disabilities living disabilities living alone or with alone or with unrelated others are unrelated others are most likely to be most likely to be living below the living below the poverty linepoverty line

• People with an People with an intellectual disability intellectual disability are particularly soare particularly so

Pov erty rates by disability status and selected liv ing arrangem ents, 2006

2 3 .3 %

5 3 .5 %

7 3 .2 %

3 6 .9 %

6 1 .2 %

5 2 .7 %

2 7 .4 %

5 5 .0%

6 0.0%

0.0% 2 0.0% 4 0.0% 6 0.0% 8 0.0%

No disa b.

A n y disa b.

In tell. disa b.

Dis

ab

ilit

y st

atu

s


A lon e With on e or m or e u n r elated

A lon e or w ith u n r ela ted

1818

WhatWhat’’s the poverty situation s the poverty situation ––by by housing tenure?housing tenure?

• People with People with disabilities living disabilities living in rental housing in rental housing are much more are much more likely to be living likely to be living in poverty (44%)in poverty (44%)

Disability and low incom e by housing tenure

2 4 .7 %

5 .5 %

4 4 .0%

1 0.1 %

5 1 .9 %

1 2 .6 %

0.0% 2 0.0% 4 0.0% 6 0.0%

Ren ted

Ow n ed bysom eon e in

th eh ou seh old

Ho

usi

ng

ten

ure

% below a ft er -t a x LICO

No disa b. A n y disa b. Lea r n in g diffic.

What do we know more generally What do we know more generally about poverty and disability?about poverty and disability?

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Low income, disability and visible Low income, disability and visible minority statusminority status

• Visible minority Visible minority status rather than status rather than disability seems to disability seems to be key to whether be key to whether people live in people live in povertypoverty

Low incom e, disability and visible m inority status

2 1 .8 %

2 0.5 %

2 2 .3 %

1 0.2 %

0.0% 1 0.0% 2 0.0% 3 0.0%

A n y disa bility , v isiblem in or ity

A n y disa bility

No disa bility , v isiblem in or ity

No disa bility

Dis

ab

ilit

y st

atu

s


2121

Low income, disability and Low income, disability and Aboriginal person statusAboriginal person status

• Aboriginal persons Aboriginal persons with disabilities are with disabilities are quite likely to have quite likely to have low incomes (38.1%)low incomes (38.1%)

Low incom e, disability and Aboriginal Person status

3 8 .1 %

2 0.5 %

1 9 .5 %

1 0.2 %

0.0 % 2 0.0% 4 0.0 %

Any dis ability, Abo rigina l pe rs o n

Any dis ability

No dis ability, Abo rigina l pers o n

No dis ability

Dis

ab

ilit

y st

atu

s


2222

Low income, disability and genderLow income, disability and gender

• Disability rather Disability rather than gender seems than gender seems to be a stronger to be a stronger predictor of low predictor of low incomeincome

Low incom e, disability and gender

2 1 .3 %

1 9 .6 %

1 1 .1 %

9 .3 %

0.0% 2 0.0% 4 0 .0%

A n y disa bility , w om en

A n y disa bility , m en

No disa bility , w om en

No disa bility , m en

Dis

ab

ilit

y st

atu

s


2323

Low income, disability and level of Low income, disability and level of educationeducation• Level of education is a Level of education is a

strong predictor of low strong predictor of low incomeincome

• As education level As education level increases, the likelihood increases, the likelihood of living in poverty of living in poverty decreasesdecreases However, this is less However, this is less

clearly the case clearly the case where people have where people have learning difficultieslearning difficulties

Low income, disability and level of education

14.2%

11.1%

9.2%

8.3%

8.2%

28.7%

20.2%

17.8%

17.0%

12.4%

31.0%

29.0%

25.5%

27.8%

19.9%

0.0% 10.0% 20.0% 30.0% 40.0%

Less than high school

High school

Trades certificate or diploma

College

University

% below after-tax LICO

No disab. Any disab. Any learning diffic.

2424

Low income and degree of disabilityLow income and degree of disability

• As the severity of As the severity of disability increases, disability increases, so does the so does the likelihood of living likelihood of living in povertyin poverty

Percet below the after-tax LICO, by degree of disability

1 4 .5 %

1 8.3 %

2 5 .5 %

3 0.7 %

0.0% 1 0.0% 2 0.0% 3 0.0% 4 0.0%

Mild

Moder a te

Sev ere

V er y sev ere

Deg

ree

of d

isa

bili

ty

2525

Low income and general healthLow income and general health

• Generally, as their Generally, as their level of general level of general health gets poorer, health gets poorer, there is increased there is increased likelihood that likelihood that people with people with disabilities will live disabilities will live in povertyin poverty

Disability and low incom e by general health

1 3 .3 %

1 2 .2 %

2 7 .8 %

0.0% 1 0.0% 2 0.0% 3 0.0%

Ex cellen t orv er y g ood

Good

Fa ir or poor

Gen

era

l h

ealt

h

% below t h e a ft er -t a x LICO

2626

Low income and help needed with Low income and help needed with everyday activitieseveryday activities

• The likelihood of The likelihood of living in poverty living in poverty increases as the gap increases as the gap widens between help widens between help needed and help needed and help received with received with everyday activitieseveryday activities

Low income and help needed with everyday activities

16.8%

18.5%

24.8%

35.8%

0.0% 20.0% 40.0%

Neither receive nor needhelp

Receive all the help needed

Receive only some of thehelp needed

Receive none of the helpneeded


2727

Low income and type of communityLow income and type of community

• People with and People with and without disabilities without disabilities are more likely to be are more likely to be living in poverty if in living in poverty if in urban communities urban communities (cities, towns) than (cities, towns) than rural (e.g., farming) rural (e.g., farming) communitiescommunities

Low income, disability and type of community

5.6%

11.3%

11.4%

22.9%

0.0% 10.0% 20.0% 30.0%

Rural

Urban


No disab. Any disab.

2828

Low income and all-year Low income and all-year employmentemployment

• People with and People with and without disabilities without disabilities are less likely to be are less likely to be living in poverty if living in poverty if employed all yearemployed all year

Low income, disability and all-year employment

4 .0%

9 .4 %

1 0.2 %

5 .8 %

1 5 .8 %

2 0.5 %

0.0% 5.0% 1 0.0% 1 5.0% 20.0% 25.0%

49-52 weeks FT

49-52 weeks PT

Total


No disab. Any disab.

2929

How many people with disabilities are at How many people with disabilities are at heightened risk of living in poverty?heightened risk of living in poverty?

• Have less than high Have less than high school graduation, orschool graduation, or

• Need more help than Need more help than they receive, orthey receive, or

• Have a severe to very Have a severe to very severe level of severe level of disability, ordisability, or

• Say they are in fair to Say they are in fair to poor health, orpoor health, or

• Are not working, or Are not working, or • Last worked more Last worked more

than a year ago or than a year ago or never worked, ornever worked, or

• Live alone or with Live alone or with unrelated othersunrelated others

• Most working-age people with disabilities (82.7% Most working-age people with disabilities (82.7% or 2 million) meet at least one of these criteriaor 2 million) meet at least one of these criteria

3030

How many people with disabilities are at How many people with disabilities are at REALLYREALLY heightened risk of living in heightened risk of living in poverty?poverty?• Have less than high Have less than high

school graduation, school graduation, andand

• Need more help than Need more help than they receive, they receive, andand

• (Have a severe to very (Have a severe to very severe level of severe level of disability ordisability or

• Say they are in fair to Say they are in fair to poor health) poor health) andand

• (Are not working, or (Are not working, or • Last worked more Last worked more

than a year ago or than a year ago or never worked) never worked) andand

• Live alone or with Live alone or with unrelated othersunrelated others

• 45,ooo people with disabilities (1.8%) meet 45,ooo people with disabilities (1.8%) meet all all of these criteria and so are at of these criteria and so are at very high very high risk risk

3131

Heightened and Heightened and veryvery high risks of high risks of povertypoverty

• Poverty rate among Poverty rate among heightened risk heightened risk group with group with disabilities:disabilities:

• 23.9% vs. 20.5%23.9% vs. 20.5%

• Poverty rate among Poverty rate among very high risk group very high risk group with disabilities: with disabilities:

• 89.1% vs. 20.5%89.1% vs. 20.5%

3232

Finding a sizeable middle groundFinding a sizeable middle ground

• How many people with disabilities fall How many people with disabilities fall somewhere between these extremes? somewhere between these extremes?

• Who are these people?Who are these people?• Where would it be best to target policy and Where would it be best to target policy and

program efforts to ensure good returns for the program efforts to ensure good returns for the public investment to help people with public investment to help people with disabilities avoid and get out of poverty?disabilities avoid and get out of poverty?

• Stay tuned for more!Stay tuned for more!

IRIS – Institute for Research & IRIS – Institute for Research & Development on Inclusion & SocietyDevelopment on Inclusion & Society

• Began in 1969 – as National Institute on Mental Began in 1969 – as National Institute on Mental Retardation – human resources training, service Retardation – human resources training, service development and program evaluation based on development and program evaluation based on ‘Principles of Normalization’‘Principles of Normalization’

• 1986 – The Roeher Institute – Policy research, 1986 – The Roeher Institute – Policy research, information & training – cross-disabilityinformation & training – cross-disability

• 2008 – IRIS – focus on research and social 2008 – IRIS – focus on research and social development to advance inclusion – links development to advance inclusion – links between disability, gender, ethno-racial-cultural between disability, gender, ethno-racial-cultural statusstatus

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Education

Poverty and Disability