The most common and most likely answer to this crossword clue is the 12 letter word DISABILITIES
I've seen this crossword clue in The Guardian
D
I
S
A
B
I
L
I
T
I
E
S
Buddy explains!

The straight part
We know that "Impairments" is the straight/definition part of the clue. The straight part is often a synonym or definition, in this case impairments = disabilities.The cryptic/wordplay part
In cryptic crossword there's often an wordplay/cryptic part as well.This part involves a more complex hint, such as an anagram, homophone, hidden word, etc.
Sadly, We don't have an explanation for this specific crossword clue yet.
What does DISABILITIES mean?
DISABILITIES noun- State of being disabled; deprivation or want of ability; absence of competent physical, intellectual, or moral power, means, fitness, and the like.
- A mental condition causing a difficulty with an intellectual task.
- Want of legal qualification to do a thing; legal incapacity or incompetency.
- Regular payments received by a disabled person, usually from the state