People with a disability in Victoria

The number of people with a disability in Victoria is increasing and is expected to continue to grow due to population growth, ageing and increased life expectancy.

People with a disability form 18.4 per cent of the Victorian population.

Facts about disability, including the incidence of disability in the community, and economic and social outcomes of people with a disability are provided in this section. There is also information about the Victorian Disability Advisory Council (VDAC).

For more information, see the Victorian state disability plan(link is external).

  • About disability

    A disability can be any physical, sensory, intellectual, cognitive or psychiatric impairment that affects a person’s ability to undertake everyday activities.

    A disability can occur at any time in life. People can be born with a disability or acquire a disability suddenly through an accident.

    Some forms of disability are episodic, others are temporary. Some disabilities may be obvious while others are hidden.

    The Disability Discrimination Act 1992(link is external) provides a comprehensive definition of disability.

    The Disability Act 2006 (Victoria) reaffirms and strengthens the rights of people with a disability. The act provides a framework for the provision of high-quality services and supports for people with a disability. For more information, see the Disability Act 2006(link is external) on our Services website.

  • Economic and social outcomes

    People with a disability currently experience more disadvantage than other Victorians.

    Research has found:

    • In Victoria, 26 per cent of people with a disability do not study beyond year 10, compared to 18 per cent of people without a disability
    • People with a disability are almost five times more likely to live in state-supported rental accommodation, than people without a disability
    • The average weekly income of Victorians with a disability is 48 per cent less than the population without a disability
    • In 2009, the labour force participation rate for Victorians with a disability of working age was 52 percent, compared to 83 per cent for Victorians without a disability
    • People with a severe or profound disability experience even greater disadvantage, with a labour force participation rate of only 32 per cent.
  • Incidence of disability in Victoria

    In 2009, there were 5.44 million Victorians, and of these, one million were people with a disability (18.4 per cent). This figure includes:

    • People with different types and levels of impairment
    • Children
    • Young people
    • Older people
    • Women
    • Men
    • Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people
    • People living in rural or regional area
    • People from culturally and linguistically diverse backgrounds.

    Approximately one-third of people with a disability or 6 per cent of the total Victorian population (338,200 people) have a profound or severe disability (source: Australian Bureau of Statistics 2011).

  • Victorian Disability Advisory Council

    The Victorian Disability Advisory Council was established in July 2007 under the Disability Act 2006.

    Find out more about the Victorian Disability Advisory Council(link is external).