Fifth of UK students report disability, true total likely higher

One in five higher education students has reported having a disability, figures show, and campaigners believe the real total to be even higher.

Figures from the Higher Education Statistics Agency (Hesa) show that 441,600 UK students had a known impairment, health condition or learning difference in 2022-23 – the most recent year of data.

That equates to 20 per cent of the total domestic student body – a proportion that has climbed consistently by 1 percentage point annually for the past nine years.

Mette Anwar-Westander, chief executive of Disabled Students UK, told Times Higher Education that the dramatic rise in the proportion of students who declare a disability in recent decades was partly the result of a “worrying increase” in mental health difficulties, and partly attributable to a welcome increase in the recognition and acceptance of disabilities.

“Young people today are more likely to understand that their neurodivergence, chronic illness or mental health condition qualifies as a disability and thus to seek support for it,” she said.

However, Hesa figures suggest that the proportion of disabled international students is much lower, at just 6 per cent, and largely unchanged in recent years.

“We know from our research that there are still groups of students who are unlikely to share that they have a disability, such as international students and students with mental health conditions, so there is work left to do in increasing declaration rates,” added Ms Anwar-Westander.

“It is also important that higher education institutions adapt more generally so that those who are unable to declare are still supported.”

UK universities were recently told by the Equality and Human Rights Commission to make reasonable adjustments for students even if they do not have a diagnosed disability or mental health condition.

The figures show that reported disability rates for all students are inconsistent across different parts of the UK.

In the south-east and the south-west of England, 20 per cent of students, including those from overseas, have a known disability, compared with 13 per cent in London and the east of England.

At some institutions, such as Arts University Plymouth, 42 per cent of students have a known disability. Falmouth University (39 per cent), Writtle University College (38 per cent) and Bishop Grosseteste University (36 per cent) also had rates far above the norm.

Almost 140,000 UK students have a learning difference such as dyslexia, dyspraxia or ADHD – the largest cohort; more than 70,000 have multiple impairments, health conditions or learning differences.

But the group that has registered the largest increase over the past decade is those with mental health conditions. In 2022-23, more than 120,000 had mental health conditions, up from just 33,500 in 2014-15.

Nicola Frampton, insight manager at Student Minds, said figures that represent formal disclosures of mental health conditions as a disability are often an underestimation.

This could be because students are unaware that their mental health condition may be considered a disability, that they do not personally identify as having a disability themselves, or because they are wary of formally disclosing a mental health condition for fear of being stigmatised, she added.

“Whilst it’s important not to over-medicalise the normal experiences and challenges students may have at university, it’s also vital that students feel confident and comfortable in seeking support for their mental health if they need it.”

A recent pilot project at Northumbria University, which produced a model of student well-being based on a combination of self-reported scores and more than 800 data variables, found that it could predict issues with student well-being that could be acted on by the counselling and mental health team.

Jisc, which published an evaluation report, said it hopes the project will help other organisations to make the most of their data to support the most vulnerable students.

patrick.jack@timeshighereducation.com