Disabled people three times less likely to be employed

Disabled people in New Zealand are three times less likely to be employed, Statistics New Zealand says.

In the June 2018 quarter, just 22.3 per cent of disabled people were working, compared to 70 per cent of non-disabled people.

That puts the disability employment gap at 47.7 per cent.

The newest numbers also reveal employment rates for disabled men and women are similar (between about 21-23 percent).

The median weekly income for disabled people was $358, nearly half that of non-disabled people.

It's the second year Statistics New Zealand has been assessing the situation for disabled people in its labour force survey.

Stats NZ defines disabled people as those who have at least a lot of difficulty in one or more of six specified activities.

Those activities could be seeing, hearing, walking or climbing stairs, remembering or concentrating, self-care, or communicating.