Learning disability is 1 of the most common forms of disability in the UK.

It is not an illness or a disease.

If you have a learning disability it may affect the way you understand information and how you communicate.

This means you may have difficulty

• understanding new information
• learning new skills
• coping independently

Are there different types of learning disability?

You might hear people calling a learning disability mild, moderate, or severe.

There are also people who have profound multiple learning disabilities (PMLD).

Each person with a learning disability is different and has different support needs, for example

• How you communicate -
  this could be by talking, signing, eye pointing, or writing down your thoughts or questions
   
• Where you live -
  you might live on your own, with a partner, with your parents, in a shared house, or in a care home
  
  
• The support you need -
  you might need support sometimes, maybe with filling in forms, or you might need support every day with getting up and getting dressed, eating and drinking, and personal care
  
  
• Moving around -
  you might be able to walk without any problems, you might use crutches or a walking stick, or you might need to use a wheelchair.

So you might need a little bit of support now and then, or a lot of care and support every day.

The most important thing to remember...

is that you are an individual.

Like anyone else, you have things you are good at and things you need support with.

You have your own likes and dislikes, such as the clothes you like and the hobbies you like doing. 

You have your own goals and ambitions.