Liam Herrick

The research study, carried out in tandem with the Economic and Social Research Institute (ESRI), shows that households with a disabled member face significant financial burdens related to disability and have very high at risk of poverty (AROP) rates.

In income terms, the cost of disability is estimated to be 52-59 per cent of disposable income for disabled households.

This means that households with a disabled member require, on average, 52-59 per cent extra disposable income to achieve the same standard of living as a similar household with no disabled members.

For households with a member who has severe limitations, the cost of disability can be as high as 93 per cent of their disposable income.

Liam Herrick, chief commissioner of the Irish Human Rights and Equality Commission, said: “It is unacceptable that disabled people live at a much higher risk of poverty in Ireland.

“The State is obliged to actively support and resource disabled people to live independently, including through the provision of person-centred financial supports.

“This research provides clear evidence of the significant and unacceptable financial burdens carried by disabled people, and their households, and I encourage the State to work with disabled people to ensure the cost of disability is effectively offset.”

Agathe Simon of the ESRI, one of the co-authors of the report, said: “Income poverty rates are substantially higher among disabled people due, in part, to their lower employment rates.

“The consumption needs of disabled households are also higher, on average, leading to a double penalty in living standards.”

Theano Kakoulidou, also of the ESRI and a co-author, added: “One way to address the higher rates of income poverty among disabled people is by removing barriers to work that they and their family members face.

“Income poverty could also be reduced by directly increasing targeted welfare payments or introducing a ‘cost of disability’ payment.”