Learning disability or learning difficulty?
A learning disability is different from a learning difficulty as a learning difficulty does not affect general intellect.
It is possible for a person to have both a learning disability and a learning difficulty.
Learning disabilities and learning difficulties explained
In this video, our Campaigns Officer, Vijay, shares what a learning disability is vs what a learning difficulty is.
Learning disability
A learning disability is a reduced intellectual ability and difficulty with everyday activities – for example household tasks, socialising or managing money – which affects someone for their whole life.
Types of learning difficulty
There are many different types of learning difficulty, some of the more well known are dyslexia, dyspraxia and dyscalculia. A person can have one, or a combination.
As with learning disability, learning difficulties can also exist on a scale. A person might have a mild learning difficulty or a severe learning difficulty. The same is true of learning disabilities.
Learning difficulties in children
A learning difficulty usually presents in childhood and can cause a person to
experience
Experience is when you have learned or tried something before.
problems in a traditional classroom setting.
We have produced a range of free resources to help you find out more about
the Government
The Government are the people who run the country. The Government decide how much
tax
Tax is the money that pays for things like schools, hospitals and the police. There are different types of taxes like
income tax
Income tax is the money that is taken out of the money you earn every month. It helps to pay for things we all need like hospitals and schools.
,
VAT
VAT is also called Value Added Tax. VAT is the extra money you pay when you buy things. The money goes to the government to pay for things like schools and hospitals.
and
council tax
Council Tax is the money that people pay to the council. It helps to pay for things like social care (support for people), parks and dustbin collection.
.
people should pay and how things like the National Health Service (
NHS
The NHS is the National Health Service. The NHS gives free healthcare to everyone in the UK and includes things like your GP (doctors) surgery and hospitals.
) should work.
's changes to how children are supported within the Special Educational Needs system.
More conditions linked with Learning Disability
Get help and advice online with Mencap
Whether you're a parent, healthcare professional, or someone with a learning disability, we've created a tool that offers clear explanations, helpful resources, and
easy read
Easy Read is a way of making written information easier to understand. Pictures are usually added next to the writing.
resources to guide you towards the information you need.