Fully accurate statistics will never be possible as not all disabled people may wish to register. It seems important however to have a central record of those who have applied for, or received a service or allowance associated with physical disability. In practical terms this group will probably represent most people with significant disabilities, and information about its size would be useful. Finding out how young people have disabilities is also difficult. It would be useful if the Department could publish the number of such students, and the disabilities recorded.
Some disabled people feel that the very act of definition endangers the process of integration.
Yet some disabilities do constitute a disadvantage, which if not compensated for, will restrict a person's life chances. To say everyone is disabled though true in a sense, can minimize the experience of those with more severe disabilities. Some disabled people require greater support and, consequently, more resources than others. Although definitions do have negative consequences, without them it is impossible to make valid comparisons. Many public bodies work on the basis that anyone who declares a medically attested disability, is disabled.