Disability is a common part of the human experience: the United Nations estimates that 16 per cent of the world’s population is disabled, and a 2019 study from the United States found that over half of American adults aged 18 to 34 have at least one chronic illness.
Unfortunately, being disabled can often mean being poor. One recent report from the U.S. found the poverty rate for people with disabilities was just over 25 per cent, whereas the poverty rate for non-disabled people was under 12 per cent. These percentages are very similar in Canada, although the recently passed Canada Disability Benefit may help alleviate this situation.
