2022-2023 Annual report area of work 2 | Mencap | Easy Read

2022-2023 Annual report area of work 2

Helping to change things in the country for people with a learning disability

Some of our main work:

A man is pointing to a house with a green tick on a flip chart. Underneath the house is a picture of a secure hospital with a red cross next to it

Helping more people to leave mental health hospitals

Many people with a learning disability in England are forced to live in mental health hospitals.

This is wrong.

People should be living in the community near their families and friends instead.

A man reading a newspaper, a radio, at TV and various digital devices showing social media channels

We did lots of work to help stop people living in mental health hospitals.

For example, we used the media to tell many people what is happening. The media is things like TV, radio and newspapers.

We also kept talking to the government about what needs to change.

A man with downs syndrome and a woman are pointing to a flip chart which has a picture of people with learning disabilities doing different jobs

Health and mental health

We helped to make sure that all health and care staff in England must get training about learning disability and autism .

We helped to make this part of the law .

A woman in a wheelchair talks to a doctor sitting opposite her

There is some extra health care that some people with a learning disability in England can get.

Like health checks every year and more time to speak to the doctor.

A doctor is taking a mans blood pressure

We are helping more people with a learning disability to get this care.

That includes some groups of people who found it hard to get the care before.

A woman talking to a man

We started a new project called Listen To Us.

This is about better mental health support for people with a learning disability.

A group of young people are enjoying themselves. One person is playing a guitar and another person is playing a keyboard

Mental health is about how you feel.

For example, we want more places for people with a learning disability to go in the day.

That is so they can meet other people and do more things in the community.

Three people are sitting together and one person is holding a leaflet. All three have their thumbs up

We set up a new group of people with a learning disability.

They will look at other things we can do to support people with a learning disability to be healthy.

A woman is worrying about money and heating

Support with food and heating costs

Many things in the country now cost more money. Like food and heating.

This is making life hard for many people with a learning disability.

For example, some people told us that they do not always eat meals to save money.

An open purse showing pound notes and coins going into it.

We have worked to make sure that:

People with a learning disability have enough money to live on.
People with a learning disability do not pay too much for their gas and electricity.

A man in a suit is shaking someone's hand

For example, we are working with gas and electricity companies.

We want to make sure that people with a learning disability get the support and information they need.

A woman is typing on a laptop in front of a clock which says 9am and another clock which says 5pm. Next to her is a hand giving her money

Jobs for people with a learning disability

We are helping to make it easier for people with a learning disability to get a job.

For example, we are helping to make sure that people still get their benefits if they work for some days of the week.

An A4 notebook with 'Plan' written on the cover.

We will make a new plan about helping more people with a learning disability to find work.