Transforming Disability Data Collection in Wales: Embracing the Social Model

This study, commissioned by the Welsh Government, develops and tests new approaches to measuring disability through the lens of the social model. Recognising that traditional data collection methods are rooted in a medical model that focuses on individual impairment, the research aims to better capture the lived experiences of disabled people by focusing on societal barriers and environmental constraints. The project followed a multi-phase, respondent-centred design process, including literature review, stakeholder workshops, and deliberative engagement with disabled people. Findings highlight that existing survey questions fail to reflect the complexity, variability, and contextual nature of disability, and that no single question set can meet the diverse needs of policymakers, researchers, and service providers. The study proposes a revised impairment question alongside new questions capturing the experience of barriers across different life domains. These were iteratively developed and tested to ensure accessibility across formats (including Welsh, English, British Sign Language, and Easy Read) and applicability across survey modes. The research concludes that adopting a social-model-based measurement framework can significantly improve the quality, inclusivity, and policy relevance of disability data.