Just over one in four adults in the EU has some kind of disability. Compared to other citizens, they face disproportionate economic challenges.
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Approximately 25.5% of EU nationals aged 16 and over with disabilities were struggling to earn a living in 2023. For people without disabilities, the percentage dropped to 16.2%.
According to Eurostat, Greece and Bulgaria were the two EU countries with the highest proportion of people with disabilities in households reported to be suffering from economic hardship.
In contrast, Luxembourg (10.5%), Finland (11.2%), the Netherlands (12%) and Sweden (16.5%) had the lowest shares.
It is estimated that one in four adults in the European Union has some form of disability. On average, this was true for 29.2% of the total female population and 24.3% of the total male population.
Financial difficulties are not limited to everyday expenses.
Financial difficulties can also affect opportunities for leisure and relaxation.
More than 40% of people with disabilities in the EU could not afford to take one week of vacation per year, compared to 24.2% of people without disabilities.
This problem is particularly pronounced among people with disabilities in countries located in the east of the EU, with Romania (73.5%), Bulgaria (70%) and Hungary (64.7%) leading the way.
Luxembourg (16.6%) and Finland (18.7%) had the lowest numbers in the bloc.
EU commitment to the rights of persons with disabilities
Earlier this month, the European Union stepped up its efforts to ensure the cross-border movement of people with disabilities through the formal adoption of the EU Disability Card.
The card guarantees equal access to benefits such as reduced fares, guaranteed parking space and priority access to public and private services in Europe.
While the timeline for introducing the EU disability card is seen as a positive step, it has also faced criticism. Member states will have 30 months to adapt the new rules and a further 12 months to apply them, meaning it will take almost three-and-a-half years for the policy to fully come into force.
Video editor • Mart Can Yilmaz
