At Mencap, we believe everyone should have the opportunity to live life to the full, and that includes having the confidence, knowledge Knowledge is knowing a lot about something. and support to make decisions about money.
That belief is at the heart of our partnership with the Aviva Foundation, a programme I’m proud to manage, and one that is helping people with a 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. build financial Financial means anything that is to do with money. It is used to describe how people, businesses, or governments get money and how they use it confidence across England, Wales and Northern Ireland.
For many people with a learning disability, managing money can be challenging. Information isn’t always
accessible
Accessible means something is easy for people to use or join in with. For example: Accessible writing means the writing is easy to read and understand.
, systems can be difficult to navigate, and the right support isn’t always available. This can limit
independence
Independence means doing things on your own. Making your own choices.
, confidence and choice.
Today, I’m delighted to share a new film created with the Aviva Foundation, shining a light on our work and the real experiences of people with a learning disability navigating money, independence and choice.
Co-production is key: shaping a programme that works
Since launching the partnership with the Aviva Foundation, we’ve been focused on tackling one of the key barriers to independence: confidence and control over money. We share a belief that everyone should be able to make their own choices, and nowhere is that more important than in how we use our money.
Together, we’re combining Mencap’s expertise in co-production, accessibility Accessibility is about making it easier for someone to join in, get, use or do something. and inclusion with Aviva’s commitment to improving financial resilience.
Our Project
Manager
A manager is a boss at work. They tell you what you need to do and give you support if you need it.
, Jo, spent months travelling across the country meeting people with a learning disability, listening to their experiences and understanding what support is really needed. Through these conversations, a clear picture emerged.
Too many people told us they had never been supported to understand:
- where their money comes from
- how to
budget
A budget is a plan where you look at how much money you have and how you will spend it.
- what support they’re entitled to
- or what choices they might have.
For some, managing money had simply become “the way things are”, even when that meant struggling to get by. These insights have shaped every part of the workshops we’re now delivering, ensuring they are practical, accessible and grounded in real life.
People with a learning disability have been involved Involved is being included in something or taking part in something. at every stage of this programme, from shaping the questions we ask, to designing materials, to defining what success looks like.
In the film, you’ll see a co-production session in action
This meeting, led by Jo, brought together volunteers from our Mencap retail stores and lived experience advisers from our London office. I was lucky enough to sit in, and it was brilliant to hear everyone’s unique perspectives on money, and how we can shape workshops and resources so the right information reaches the people who need it most.
There were some fantastic ideas about the platforms and spaces we should use to reach new groups. As someone without a learning disability, these aren’t environments I’d naturally access, so those insights simply wouldn’t have come to me. It reinforced a simple but important question: how can we design the right support if we’re not shaping it with the people who need it?
Why this work matters
As Mencap Chief Executive Jon Sparkes explains, money is about far more than transactions:
“In so many ways, money is a gateway. It’s access to choice — to be able to live the way you want to live.”
There are around 1.5 million people with a learning disability in the UK, and many face significant financial disadvantage. Lower
employment
Employment means having a job.
rates, higher living costs and complex systems all contribute to reduced financial confidence and independence.
Too often, people with a learning disability are excluded from having real choice. Without the right support and accessible information, barriers remain to making informed decisions about money and the future.
Research
Research is a way of finding out information which could come from books, or asking people what they think.
also shows that people with a learning disability are more likely to experience financial exploitation, scams, and ‘mate
crime
A crime is when someone does something wrong and breaks the law.
’, where someone pretends to be a friend to
take advantage of
Taking advantage of someone is when they are being asked to do something, or get something that the other person needs.
them. They are also more likely to rely on others for financial decisions, which can increase vulnerability.
This project aims to change that, empowering people with the knowledge and confidence to understand their rights Rights are the things everyone should be allowed to do like have a say, or go to school. , recognise unfair situations, speak up, and make safer decisions that reflect what matters to them.
What’s next for this project?
Workshops are now being delivered in partnership with Dosh Financial
Advocacy
Advocacy is when you get support to have your say.
, providing practical, face-to-face support that helps people build skills and confidence step by step.
- Alongside the workshops, we are developing:
- training for staff, families and carers
- accessible resources that can be shared widely
- tools to support people beyond the life of the project.
Small moments, big changes
As Aneesa Farthing, Head of Communities at Mencap, shares in the film — the impact of this work is often seen in small but powerful ways.
It might be someone asking a question they’ve never felt confident enough to ask before. It might be someone beginning to understand their options for the first time. Or simply saying: “I can do this.”
These moments represent something bigger, a shift towards greater independence, confidence and control.
Proud to be in partnership with the Aviva Foundation
We are incredibly grateful to the Aviva Foundation for their support, and proud that this partnership — and the voices of the people we support, are being amplified through this programme.
Corporate Partnerships with Mencap
Inspired by this project?
If your business wants to help make a difference to one of the most overlooked groups in our society, my team would love to hear from you.
By Mencap