There are 1.5Â million people with a learning disability in the UK
The figures on this page have been calculated using
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.
prevalence rates from Public Health England (2016) and population data from the Office for National Statistics (2024).
The big picture
There are approximately 1.5 million people with a learning disability in the UK.
Approximately 1.3 million of those people with a learning disability are in England.
How common is learning disability in the UK?
Adults
Approximately 2.16% of adults in the UK are believed to have a learning disability.
Children
Approximately 2.5% of children in the UK are believed to have a learning disability.
Adults with a learning disability
There are approximately:
- 1.2 million adults with a learning disability in the UK.
- 977,000 adults with a learning disability in England.
- 54,000 adults with a learning disability in Wales.
- 31,000 adults with a learning disability in Northern Ireland.
Adults of working age with a learning disability (18-64)
There are approximately:
- 884,000 adults of working age with a learning disability in the UK
- 747,000 adults of working age with a learning disability in England
- 40,000 adults of working age with a learning disability in Wales
- 25,000 adults of working age with a learning disability in Northern Ireland.
Children with a learning disability (0-17 years)
There are approximately:
349,000 children with a learning disability in the UK.
297,000 children with a learning disability in England.
15,000 children with a learning disability in Wales.
11,000 children with a learning disability in Northern Ireland.
Children with a learning disability (0-7 years)
There are approximately:
- 148,000 children aged 0-7 years old with a learning disability in the UK
- 126,000 children aged 0-7 years old with a learning disability in England
- 6,000 children aged 0-7 years old with a learning disability in Wales
- 5,000 children aged 0-7 years old with a learning disability in Northern Ireland
