Disability and carers: Census

Latest release

Information on core activity need for assistance

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Reference period
2021
Released
28/06/2022
Next release Unknown
First release

Key statistics

  • 1,464,415 people identified as requiring assistance with core activities.
  • Females are slightly more likely to indicate they require assistance at 6.1 per cent compared to males at 5.5 per cent.
  • 8.2 per cent of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people identified requiring assistance with core activities.
  • 76.6 per cent of people identifying as requiring assistance live with family and 19.4 per cent live alone. 
  1. Based on place of usual residence. Count of person attending an education institution who require a need for assistance with core activities. Excludes overseas visitors.

Source: Core activity need for assistance (ASSNP), Type of educational institution attending (TYPP)

Core activity need for assistance by state and territory(a), 2021 Census
 Has need for assistance with core activities Does not have need for assistance with core activitiesNot statedTotal
New South Wales464,7127,128,700478,7508,072,163
Victoria382,0735,770,498350,9216,503,491
Queensland309,3664,513,222333,5385,156,138
South Australia118,6341,578,81884,0591,781,516
Western Australia122,3482,366,843170,8352,660,026
Tasmania38,023489,47630,068557,571
Northern Territory8,308199,10525,191232,605
Australian Capital Territory20,782414,31119,407454,499
Australia(b)1,464,41522,464,7031,493,67625,422,788

Note that there are small random adjustments made to all cell values to protect the confidentiality of data. These adjustments may cause the sum of rows or columns to differ by small amounts from table totals.

  1. Based on place of usual residence. Excludes overseas visitors.
  2. Includes Other Territories.

Source: Core activity need for assistance (ASSNP)

Census data stories and concepts

Articles and information papers that related to this topic include:

How Census data is used

Learn how Census data helps community groups, businesses and governments make important decisions.

Dinner on the Table providing meals to families with a disability

Key questions in 2021 Census

  • Does the person ever need someone to help with, or be with them for self-care activities? 
  • Does the person ever need someone to help with, or be with them for, body movement activities?
  • Does the person ever need someone to help with, or be with them for, communication activities?
  • What are the reasons for the need for assistance or supervision?

The questions from the 2021 Census are output into variables. To see descriptions of the variables, including data use considerations, relevant to this topic see the 2021 Census dictionary: Disability and carers.

Data downloads

Data table for Disability and carers data summary

Data files
Download xlsx [102.62 KB]

Other ABS links

To access more 2021 Census data, see Search Census data or to build your own data sets, see Census data tools.

Explore other ABS data: 

Post release changes

12/10/2022 - Disability and carers data summary download file amended to include second release data tables. 

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