17 April 2008

Lack of knowledge of learning disability revealed

New figures reveal that most people in the UK, including MPs, do not know what a learning disability is. 

Almost 3 in 4 of the UK population cannot give an accurate example of a learning disability, according to new research.

A survey carried out by Populus for Mencap asked more than 1,600 people for an example of learning disability. Only 9% of those surveyed were able to give a completely correct description.

There are 1.5 million people with a learning disability in the UK, but there is widespread confusion around what a learning disability is. 73% of people gave examples that were wrong. 6% thought blindness is a learning disability, 7% thought deafness, and 30% dyslexia. Women had slightly more knowledge than men.

Leroy Binns, a spokesperson for Mencap, said: “I just do not understand how people can be so wrong about what a learning disability is. We appear to be invisible and unimportant to so many people.”

Mencap also asked MPs for 3 examples of a learning disability.

Worryingly, of the 103 MPs surveyed 74% were more wrong than right – so had slightly less knowledge than members of the public. 20% gave no correct answers. The most common answer was dyslexia, which is not a learning disability. Only 22% of MPs were more right than wrong.

Mencap is responding with a new manifesto that gives a clear definition of learning disability – but is also setting the agenda for a new, more confident Mencap.

Are you a parent of carer of someone with a learning disability? Do you think enough people understand learning disability? How do you think learning disability should be defined? Share your opinions and experiences with others in the family and carers forum.

What is a learning disability?

Read Mencap's definition