Survey data helps shape policy and provision for people living with disabilities. Yet survey questions are underpinned by different definitions or 'models' of disability. It is not always clear which models these questions are based upon nor how they might influence conclusions drawn.
We reviewed the largest UK repository for secondary survey data and identified all disability and disability-related questions from 2010 onwards. We conducted a set of consultations with members of the public who have lived experiences of disability to understand their perceptions of models of disability in survey questions, and how their answers might be shaped by the questions’ framing.