Mencap's work in Parliament
We’re passionate about 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.
, and their families and carers having a better life in the here and now. But we’re just as passionate about there being a better future too.
This is why we work tirelessly in
Parliament
Parliament is a group of people who make laws and check what
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
A council is also called a
local authority
A local authority is also called a council. They are a group of people who make decisions about some of the things in the area where you live like schools,
social care
Social care means the services that give care and support to people who need it.
(support for people), parks and dustbin collection.
. They are a group of people who make decisions about some of the things in the area where you live. These include: schools, social care (support for people), parks and dustbin collection.
Tax is the money that people pay to the
council
A council is also called a
local authority
A local authority is also called a council. They are a group of people who make decisions about some of the things in the area where you live like schools,
social care
Social care means the services that give care and support to people who need it.
(support for people), parks and dustbin collection.
. They are a group of people who make decisions about some of the things in the area where you live. These include: schools, social care (support for people), parks and dustbin collection.
. 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
A service gives people what they need, like healthcare services that help people when they are ill, and support services that give people support.
(
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.
is doing.
to raise awareness among politicians about the issues that matter to you.
Why campaign in Parliament?
We work closely with Members of Parliament (MPs) in the House of Commons and Peers in the House of Lords from across all the political parties.
We help make them understand the issues that people with a learning disability and their families face so that they can change things for the better.
Some of the things we do
- We help bring people with a learning disability and their families into Parliament to speak to MPs, Peers and Government Ministers. We do this because we believe that real stories are the best way to influence politicians and to make change happen.
- We influence debates, give evidence to parliamentary committees, lobby to improve new laws, and support people where we can to meet with their local MP.
- We also support the All Party Parliamentary Group on Learning Disability. This is a group of MPs and Peers from across all political parties who meet to talk about all the issues that matter to you.
