Short answer

The Social Model of Disability says people are disabled by barriers in society, not by their bodies or minds.

This means disability is created by:

  • Inaccessible buildings
  • Discriminatory attitudes
  • Rigid systems and policies
  • Lack of reasonable adjustments

Not by impairment itself.

In one sentence: The problem is not disabled people the problem is disabling environments and systems.

Easy Read: What is the Social Model?

  • Disabled people are not the problem.
  • Barriers in society are the problem.
  • Removing barriers creates equality.
  • This model supports rights, not pity.

The Social Model explained

The Social Model was developed by disabled activists in the UK in the 1970s and 1980s. It came from lived experience from people who were excluded not because of their bodies, but because of how society was organised.

The Social Model separates:

  • Impairment how your body or mind works
  • Disability the barriers society puts in your way

Example:

  • Not being able to walk is an impairment
  • Steps into a building without a ramp are disabling

Social Model vs Medical Model

Social Model Medical Model
Society disables people People are disabled by their bodies
Focus on removing barriers Focus on fixing individuals
Supports rights and access Supports treatment and cure
Leads to reasonable adjustments Leads to assessments and gatekeeping

For a deeper look at all models of disability including the affirmation model and the biopsychosocial model read our full resource: Everything you need to know about models of disability.

Why the Social Model matters

Access is a right, not a favour The Social Model underpins disability rights law

The Social Model:

  • Supports disability rights and equality law
  • Underpins reasonable adjustment duties
  • Challenges stigma and blame
  • Shifts responsibility from individuals to systems
  • Creates space for collective action

Disability also comes with real financial cost. Scope's Disability Price Tag 2024 shows the extra costs disabled people face a direct result of a society not yet built to include everyone.

Is the Social Model perfect?

No model explains everything.

Some disabled people say the Social Model:

  • Does not fully account for pain, fatigue or illness
  • Can overlook personal experiences of impairment

Many disabled activists now use a social-relational model, which recognises both lived impairment and social barriers, while still rejecting blame and medicalisation. Read the academic paper Some Things Never Seem to Change: Further Towards an Affirmation Model for a deeper exploration of how thinking about disability models has evolved.

How the Social Model shows up in law

UK equality law closely follows the Social Model. For example:

  • Employers must make reasonable adjustments
  • Landlords must remove access barriers where reasonable
  • Service providers must anticipate disabled people's access needs

This is because the law recognises that exclusion is created by systems, not individuals. See how disability rights have progressed and where they have been set back in our article on disability rights: progress and setbacks.

FAQs

What is the Social Model of Disability?

The Social Model says people are disabled by barriers in society including inaccessible buildings, discriminatory attitudes and rigid systems not by their bodies or minds.

Is the Social Model used in the UK?

Yes. UK equality law aligns closely with the Social Model, especially around reasonable adjustments and access duties under the Equality Act 2010.

Does the Social Model deny impairment?

No. It recognises impairment but says impairment is not the cause of social exclusion. Barriers created by society cause exclusion.

Who created the Social Model?

Disabled activists in the UK, especially the Union of the Physically Impaired Against Segregation (UPIAS) in the 1970s. Key thinkers include Mike Oliver, who named and developed the model.

What is the difference between the Social Model and the affirmation model?

The affirmation model builds on the Social Model by celebrating disabled identity and culture, rather than only focusing on removing barriers. It rejects both the tragedy narrative of the medical model and the purely structural focus of the Social Model.

Want to learn more about disability rights?

Difference North East is a disabled-led organisation working for disability justice, access and equality across the North East.

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