Support if you have learning disabilities

If you have a learning disability, we can support you to live as independently as possible and to enjoy a good quality of life. We also support carers so that they can have a break. 

Our specialist Community Team for People with Learning Disabilities can support you. They will help you to think about your strengths, your goals, and your care and support needs.  

We can help with:  

• help at home and with finding suitable housing  
• education, training and employment  
• breaks for carers  
• transition into adulthood and planning for the future  
• support to take part in leisure and community activities  

To find out if you qualify for help you will have to have an assessment. This is to ask you about what help you need in day-to-day life.  

You can apply for this on-line for yourself or ask someone to help you with it.  

Not everyone will qualify for services. If we cannot help, we will provide information about community groups that may be able to support you.

There is a charge for some services. We will carry out a financial assessment to find out how much, if anything, this charge will be.  

If you qualify for a service, we will offer you a direct payment so that you, or someone who looks after you, can arrange your support in a way that suits you.  

Direct payments mean that you can make your own decisions, or employ a personal assistant to help you to meet your needs and goals. You can also use direct payments for activities during the day or for short breaks.  

You might be eligible for free care funded by the NHS. To find out, you will need to have an assessment for NHS Continuing Healthcare. 

For further information about the Community Team for people with learning disabilities, please have a look at our factsheet and easy read.