Contents
Disability Allowance : Contents

Definition of disability

We use section 21(1)(h) of the Human Rights Act 1993 to define disability for Disability Allowance.

Disability means:

  • physical disability or impairment
  • physical illness
  • psychiatric illness
  • intellectual disability, psychological disability or impairment
  • any other loss or abnormality of psychological, physiological, or anatomical structure or function
  • reliance on a guide dog, wheelchair, or other remedial means
  • the presence in the body of organisms capable of causing illness

For more information see:

Legislation

  • disability (definition) section 84 Social Security Act 2018
  • Prohibited grounds of discrimination section 21(1)(h) Human Rights Act 1993
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A person with an intellectual disability has intellectual functioning significantly below average. They may also have limitations with their behaviour (either behavioural problems or difficulty with managing day to day tasks or both).

An intellectual disability is not an illness or a disease and there may be various causes, for example; genetic, chromosomal abnormality or injury. One example of intellectual disability is Down Syndrome.