Summary
From accessing public transport to navigating the health and social care system, people
with a learning disability experience significant barriers in their lives. People with a
learning disability have worse physical and mental health than people without a
learning disability. We know that people with a learning disability in Wales are dying on
average 20 years earlier than the general population [1].
It has long been recognised that there is limited data on people with a learning
disability in Wales [2] and exploring the costs and benefits of establishing a National
Learning Disability Observatory for Wales is included as a strategic priority area in the
Welsh Government’s Learning Disability Strategic Action Plan.
This report provides a snapshot of some of the issues impacting the lives of people with
a learning disability in Wales. We urge all decision makers in Wales to read it and to
respond appropriately in their party manifestos for the 2026 Senedd Election.