Children of parents with disability have poorer Economic living conditions

As measures of economic living conditions, low economic standard and low income standard have been used. Low economic standard is a relative measure that compares the household's disposable income with the median income of the population as a whole, while low income standard is an absolute measure that shows that the household's disposable income is not enough to pay necessary living expenses.

- We see that a slightly higher proportion of children with disabilities live in families with a low economic standard in 2024, but the differences are relatively small. However, the gap between the groups has increased since 2019 when there was no difference at all, says Maria Larsson at Statistics Sweden.

The increase in the proportion of children with disability-related interventions living in a family with a low economic standard is greater among boys than among girls. In 2019, the proportion was 19 per cent for boys, and in 2024 it had increased to 21 per cent. For girls, the proportion increased by half a percentage point, from 19 to 19.5 per cent.

Children with interventions are less likely to live in families where the income is not enough to cover necessary living expenses

For children whose families' disposable income does not cover necessary living expenses, the ratio is the opposite: a lower proportion of children with disabilities live in families with a low income standard compared to other children. There is no difference between girls and boys within each group.

The fact that the results differ depending on the measure is related to the fact that they measure different aspects of economic conditions. Low economic standard is a relative measure that shows the proportion of children with disability-related interventions who live in families whose disposable income is less than 60 per cent of the median income in the population. Low income standard, on the other hand, is an absolute measure that shows the proportion of children who live in families whose income is not sufficient to cover necessary living expenses.

The fact that children receiving disability-related support measures are less likely to live in families with a low income standard can partly be explained by the financial benefits available to families whose living conditions are affected by a disability. These benefits may help raise household income above the threshold for a low-income standard.

If a parent has interventions related to disability impact children's economic living conditions

The proportion of children with a low economic standard and a low income standard is significantly higher if one parent has interventions related to disability compared to if only the child has such interventions. The fact that at least one of the parents has interventions for disability thus affects the child's economic living conditions more than if only the child has interventions. However, the proportion is slightly smaller if both child and parent have interventions related to disability compared to if only the parent has them.

-The economic living conditions of children in families with interventions related to disability is most affected if a parent has interventions related to disability but seem to be affected to a lesser extent in families where the child also has a disability, says Maria Larsson at Statistics Sweden.

Statistics from the survey The situation in the labour market for people with disabilities show that the group of people with disabilities is more likely to be outside the labour market or work part-time compared to the rest of the population. This may be an explanation for the fact that a higher proportion of children whose parents have disabilities have poorer economic living conditions. A possible explanation for the lower proportion of children with a low economic standard and a low income standard if the child also has a disability may again be various measures from the welfare system that to some extent even out differences.

The statistics are based on a report that has been produced within the framework of an ongoing government assignment to Statistics Sweden, within which a register-based variable for people with disabilities is being developed. The analysis is part of the development work. More information and results can be found in the report, which also presents statistics at county level.

Link to the report