Those with hidden disabilities make up the majority of the disabled community
When you hear the word ‘disability’, most people think of wheelchairs, service dogs, or some other form of visible aid. However, this isn’t the case for the vast majority of disabled people In the UK alone, 1 in 5 people are considered to have some form of disability, but a huge 80% of these people have what are classed as hidden disabilities. This means that their disability isn’t immediately visible.
So, we know what defines a hidden disability, but what are some examples? Some common non-visible disabilities include Autism, Crohn’s disease, Cystic Fibrosis, Epilepsy, Ehlers-Danlos Syndrome, as well as mental health conditions such as Anxiety and Depression.
Living with a disability is difficult and people face many challenges. Disabled people have difficulty carrying out everyday activities, such as self-care, shopping, cooking and cleaning. However, living with a hidden disability can be difficult for other reasons. Without visible evidence of a disability, the struggles people face are often ignored, leaving disabled people feeling exhausted and isolated.
Not every disability is the same, so different people will have individual support needs. It may sound obvious to say that every person is different and therefore requires different types and levels of care and help, but unfortunately, this isn’t the case when it comes to accessing support.
As a result of often being unable to access the correct support, many disabled people now ‘mask’ in society. This means either intentionally, or unintentionally, disabled people will hide their difficulties, or ‘mask’ them, in order to fit in, or appear as though they aren’t struggling. This might be difficult for people to understand but when people live their lives struggling and receive little to no sympathy and understanding for their condition, it is often easier to hide and pretend as though these struggles don’t exist. Unfortunately, masking carries its own difficulties and although it may be helpful in the short term, it can lead to bigger long-term problems for disabled people.

© Hidden Disabilities Store
Whereas some people with hidden disabilities choose to mask, others opt to wear a visual aid to make people aware of their disability. After living through the Covid-19 pandemic, most people will be aware of the sunflower lanyard and have probably seen people wearing them while out and about. The sunflower lanyard scheme began in 2016 at London Gatwick Airport and was a way of identifying which passengers may need additional help while travelling. The sunflower lanyard is now recognised across all airports, supermarkets, cinemas, sports venues and more. During the pandemic, hidden disabilities became a huge talking point, and some believe that the sunflower lanyard was taken advantage of, further adding to the issues that disabled people, particularly those with hidden disabilities face on a day-to-day basis.
Knowing all of this, it is important to think about how many of us have come across or know somebody with a hidden disability. What changes can we make in order to support those with hidden disabilities? As a community, we can help raise awareness of hidden disabilities in many ways. Increasing our knowledge and taking the time to listen to the voices of disabled people is the first step towards making changes, and creating a more understanding and accessible world for those with hidden disabilities.