Learning difficulties/ disability

A learning disability affects the way a person learns new things throughout their lifetime.

A learning disability affects the way a person understands information and how they communicate. This means they can have difficulty:

• understanding new or complex information
• learning new skills
• coping independently

Around 1.5 million people in the UK have a learning disability. It’s thought up to 350,000 people have a severe learning disability. This figure is increasing.

A learning disability can be mild, moderate or severe.

Some people with a mild learning disability can talk easily and look after themselves but may need a bit longer than usual to learn new skills. Other people may not be able to communicate at all and have other disabilities as well.

Some adults with a learning disability are able to live independently, while others need help with everyday tasks, such as washing and dressing, for their whole lives. It depends on the person’s abilities and the level of care and support they receive.