Headline indicator 12.1: Financial stability and economic independence
Measure 12.1.1: Proportion of people living in lower income households
12.1.1 Rationale
Cost of living was raised by Victorian Disability Advisory Council (VDAC) as an important issue facing people with disability. Lower income reflects a basic measure of income inequality. Values above 40% indicate that the group is poorer than the general Australian population.
12.1.1 Results
| Year | People with disability | People without disability | Relative inequality |
|---|---|---|---|
2018 | 59.4% | 35.5% | 1.67 |
2022 | 55.2% | 33.5% | 1.67 |
12.1.1 Description of results
In 2018, the proportion of people with disability living in lower income households was 59.4%. By 2022, this had decreased slightly for people with disability to 55.2%.
In comparison to people without disability, people with disability were 1.67 times more likely to be in lower income households in 2018, and 1.65 times more likely by 2022. This data show that, while the number of people with disability living in lower income households has fallen slightly, people with disability are considerably more likely to live in a lower income household than people without disability.
12.1.1 Definition
Each measure is estimated separately for people with and without disability where data is available.
- Denominator: All people aged 15+ years
- Numerator: People living in households in the lower 40% of Equivalised Disposable Household Income
12.1.1 Data source
Household, Income and Labour Dynamics in Australia (HILDA) Survey
12.1.1 Data availability
Baseline year: 2018
Frequency: Annual
12.1.1 Technical note
If Australia was made up of 100 households, lined up from lowest income to highest income, ‘lower income households’ are the first 40 households. For this measure, income refers to equivalised disposable income. Disposable household income after tax is the money available for day-to-day living. Equivalised means we adjust income based on the number and age of people in the household. We include only regular income, excluding irregular sources of income such as receiving an inheritance.
Measure 12.1.2: Proportion of people without accessible emergency funds
12.1.2 Rationale
This measure captures whether people have the means to financially cope with unexpected costs.
12.1.2 Results
| Year | People with disability | People without disability | Relative inequality |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2018 | 26.4% | 16.5% | 1.60 |
| 2022 | 27.3% | 16.7% | 1.64 |
12.1.2 Description of results
In 2018, the proportion of people with disability without accessible emergency funds was 26.4%. By 2022 this was similar, with 27.3% of people with disability not able to access emergency funds.
In comparison to people without disability, in 2018 people with disability were 1.6 times more likely to be unable to access emergency funds, and 1.64 times more likely in 2022.
12.1.2 Definition
Each measure is estimated separately for people with and without disability where data is available.
- Denominator: All people aged 15+ years
- Numerator: People who could not raise money in an emergency or would need to do something drastic ($4000 in 2022 and $3000 in 2018)
12.1.2 Data source
Household, Income and Labour Dynamics in Australia (HILDA) Survey
12.1.2 Data availability
Baseline year: 2018
Frequency: Annual
12.1.2 Technical note
The question in HILDA asks, ‘Suppose you had only one week to raise $3000 [in 2018] / $4000 [in 2022] for an emergency. Which of the following best describes how hard it would be for you to get that money?’. People were deemed to not have access to emergency funds if they had to do something drastic or were unable to raise them.
Measure 12.1.3: Proportion of people who went without meals because of lack of money
12.1.3 Rationale
This measure reflects a serious level of deprivation driven by very low income. It has been included reflecting VDAC’s advice that the cost of living was currently an important issue for people with disability.
12.1.3 Results
| Year | People with disability | People without disability | Relative inequality |
|---|---|---|---|
2018 | 7.8% | 2.4% | 3.20 |
2022 | 8.7% | 2.0% | 4.34 |
12.1.3 Description of results
In 2018, 7.8% of people with disability went without meals because of a lack of money. By 2022, this had risen to 8.7% of people with disability going without meals because of a lack of money.
Compared to people without disability, people with disability were 3.2 times more likely to go without meals because of a lack of money, rising to 4.3 times more likely in 2022. These data indicate growing inequalities in people with disability going without meals because of a lack of money.
12.1.3 Definition
Each measure is estimated separately for people with and without disability where data is available.
- Denominator: All people aged 15+ years
- Numerator: People who went without meals because of lack of money
12.1.3 Data source
Household, Income and Labour Dynamics in Australia (HILDA) Survey
12.1.3 Data availability
Baseline year: 2018
Frequency: Annual
12.1.3 Technical note
This measure is based on a question that asks people if they went without meals because of a lack of money during that year.
Updated