What is Mencap's Learning Disability Helpline service?
The
Learning Disability
A learning disability is to do with the way someone's brain works. It makes it harder for someone to learn, understand or do things.
Helplines are Mencap’s free help and advice lines for people with a Learning Disability, their families and carers. We are a very busy
service
A service gives people what they need, like healthcare services that help people when they are ill, and support services that give people support.
, and we help as many people as we can, however we are not a crisis service and we cannot always respond straight away to urgent issues.
For the contact details of all other Mencap departments please visit our Contact us page.
If you need help urgently there are useful contact numbers on our Crisis advice page, however where there is an immediate risk of harm you should call 999.
How to contact our Learning Disability Helplines
Our 3 free helpline services offer advice and support for people with a learning disability, their families and carers.
- Learning Disability Helpline in England
- Learning Disability Helpline in Wales
- Learning Disability Helpline in Northern Ireland.
How to use this advice tool (Easy Read)
We have made Easy Read instructions on how to use this tool to find the things you want to know about.
Read the instructionsWho would you like to contact?
Where to find peer and local group support
About the Learning Disability Helpline (England)
The Learning Disability Helpline in England can advise you if:
- You have a learning disability
- You are contacting us about someone with a learning disability (we also have an Easy Read about how to refer someone to the Learning Disability Helpline)
- You are contacting us to learn more about learning disability.
The Learning Disability Helpline (England) can advise on:
- Social Care including Mental Capacity
- Health and Wellbeing
- Covid-19
- Safeguarding
- Transition to adulthood
- Benefits
- Mental Capacity
- Homes not Hospitals including Behaviour that challenges
- Bullying
- Continuing Healthcare
- Housing
- Education.
Easy Read translations about the Learning Disability Helpline service
Our Helplines are a vital lifeline for many
In this article Rachel tells us more about the Learning Disability Helpline, why it's so important and how you can help keep our lines open.
Cost of living advice
Are you worried or concerned about the cost of living crisis and how it may affect you or someone you love? We have expanded our helpline and now have specialist cost of living experts to help advise you.
Help us step in when most needed
Our Helplines are a lifeline to so many people, we simply must be there to help.
Your donations keep this essential service running.
We hold the Advice Quality Standard so you can be sure about the quality of the advice we provide.
The Mencap helpline is a member of Advice UK in England.