Employment and financial security
Outcome: People with disability have economic security, enabling them to plan for the future and exercise choice and control over their lives
Why is this outcome area important?
Employment and financial security are central to improving outcomes for people with disability. This includes providing jobs, career opportunities and having adequate income for people with disability to meet their needs (Australia’s Disability Strategy 2021–2031).
Increased workforce participation by people with disability provides benefits for the Australian economy, reduces welfare expenditure and increases security in retirement (Australian Human Rights Commission 2016). Employment provides people with disability increased income, and therefore, higher living standards and financial independence, while also contributing to positive health outcomes (DSS 2012). However, in 2022, the unemployment rate for working-age people with disability was twice as high as those without disability (AIHW 2024), highlighting barriers to equal employment opportunities. Additionally, the median gross personal income for people with disability was $575 per week, compared to $1055 for those without disability (ABS 2022).
What are the policy priorities?
- Economic participation: Supporting people with disability to find and keep jobs.
- Transition to employment: Supporting young people with disability who leave school to find work.
- Economic independence: Supporting people with disability to earn enough money to live well, plan for their future and have choice and control over their own lives.
Measures
For the 3 policy priorities under this outcome area, data are available for 6 system measures and 4 population measures (Table 2.1). Since the 2nd annual report, 3 measures have updated historical data and 3 measures have updated post-baseline data for the first time.
All 10 measures with updated post-baseline data in this report. Of these:
- 4 showed improving
- 5 showed no change
- one showed regress.
For future measures requiring development, see Future measures.
| Policy priority | Measure | Baseline time point | Baseline value | Latest time point | Latest value | Change since baseline(c) | Progress status |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Economic participation | Number of valid 52-week full outcome claims for employment in the 12-month period for people with disability* (system measure) | 2020–21 | 16,041 | 2023–24 | 24,845 | 8,804 valid claims | Improving |
Economic participation | Proportion of people with disability using jobactive who obtain at least one job placement in a 12-month period which later converted to a 26-week outcome* (system measure) | 2020–21 | 7.5% | 2021–22 | 7.6% | 0.1 pp | No change |
Economic participation | Proportion of NDIS participants who get the support they need to do their job(a) (system measure) | 2021–22 Q2 | 65.9% | 2023–24 Q4 | 62.9% | –3.0 pp | Regress |
Economic participation | Gap in proportion of people with disability in the labour force who are unemployed, compared with proportion of people without disability (population measure) | 2018 | 4.7 pp | 2022 | 3.9 pp | -0.8 pp | No change |
Economic participation | Proportion of NDIS participants aged 15–64 in the labour force who are in open employment at full award wage (population measure) | 2021–22 Q2 | 19.9% | 2023–24 Q4 | 22.9% | 3.0 pp | Improving |
Transition to employment | Proportion of VET graduates with disability who are employed on completion of training (system measure) | 2021 | 51.6% | 2023 | 62.3% | 10.7 pp | Improving |
Transition to employment | Proportion of NDIS young people (aged 15–24) in employment (system measure) | 2021–22 Q2 | 17.6% | 2023–24 Q4 | 20.2% | 2.6 pp | Improving |
Transition to employment | Proportion of young people (aged 15–24) with disability in the labour force who are employed(b) (population measure) | 2018 | 75.9% | 2022 | 79.8% | 3.9 pp | No change |
Economic independence | Proportion of Australian Public Service employees with disability* (system measure) | December 2021 | 4.9% | December 2023 | 5.2% | 0.2 pp | No change |
Economic independence | Gap in median gross income for a person with disability aged | 2018 | $443 | 2022 | $480 | $37 | No change |
*Measure wording has been revised to reflect available data more accurately or clarify the measure’s intent. See relevant measure section below for more information (See Appendix B: List of measures). Back to content
n.a. – not available; pp – percentage points; VET – vocational education and training.
- This measure will be replaced in the future by ‘Proportion of NDIS participants with an employment goal in receipt of employment income in the last 12 months’. Back to content
- This measure will be replaced in the future by ‘Proportion of school leavers with disability who are not in employment, education or training 12 months later’. Back to content
- n.a. indicates that there has not been an additional data point post-baseline to enable an assessment of progress. Back to content
ABS (Australian Bureau of Statistics) (2022) Disability, Ageing and Carers, Australia: Summary of Findings, ABS website, accessed 12 July 2024.
AHRC (Australian Human Rights Commission) (2016) Willing to Work: national inquiry into employment discrimination against older Australians and Australians with disability, AHRC, Australian Government, accessed 12 July 2024.
AIHW (Australian Institute of Health and Welfare) (2024) People with disability in Australia, AIHW, Australian Government, accessed 12 July 2024.
DSS (Department of Social Services) (2012) Shut Out: The Experience of People with Disabilities and their Families in Australia, DSS, Australian Government, accessed 12 July 2024.
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Economic participation