In 2024, people with disabilities across the European Union continued to report significantly higher levels of discrimination in everyday interactions than those without disabilities,

according to new EU data.

The gap is particularly evident when individuals interact with public administration and essential services. Nearly one in ten people with disabilities (9.4%) said they felt discriminated against when dealing with administrative offices or public services. This is more than double the rate reported by people without disabilities, at 4.0%.

Discrimination is also perceived in other key areas of daily life. When searching for housing, 8.2% of people with disabilities reported feeling discriminated against, compared with 5.2% among those without disabilities. In public spaces, the figures stand at 5.0% versus 3.0%, while in education settings they reach 4.1% compared with 2.3%.

The disparities are consistent across all EU member states, with people with disabilities more likely to report negative treatment in public services than those without disabilities.

At national level, the highest shares of self-reported discrimination in administrative offices and public services were recorded in Estonia (14.6%) and Spain (14.5%). They were followed closely by Belgium (12.8%), the Netherlands (12.5%), and Sweden (12.3%).

At the other end of the scale, the lowest reported levels were found in Cyprus and Italy (both 3.1%), followed by Croatia (4.3%) and Hungary (4.5%).

The findings highlight persistent inequalities in access and treatment, particularly in institutional settings that are meant to serve the public equally.

The data release coincides with the launch of EU Diversity Month, an annual initiative aimed at promoting inclusion and raising awareness about diversity in workplaces and society more broadly. Photo by John Robert McPherson, Wikimedia commons.