Published: May 2026

A learning disability is a long‑term cognitive impairment that affects the way a person understands information, learns new skills, and manages everyday tasks. It varies from person to person and does not define an individual or their abilities. A learning disability is often identified soon after birth or in the early years, and will last a person’s whole life.

Many people with a learning disability may find everyday activities challenging – for example household tasks, socialising, or managing money. Some people with a learning disability need to be fully supported in all areas of their life, including communicating, personal care, and staying safe. People with a learning disability may take longer to learn and need support to develop new skills, understand information, or interact with other people. They may also have a learning difficulty or be neurodivergent.

Although a learning disability is permanent, many people can develop new skills throughout their lives. And, societies and communities can change to be more inclusive. With the right support and an inclusive community, people with a learning disability can thrive.

Headlines

0.7% of the Wakefield population (around 2,400 people) are recorded on GP practice systems as living with a learning disability, however it is possible that it is under-recorded in GP systems. This is significantly higher than the 0.6% for England.
Looking at death data between March 2025 and February 2026, people recorded with a learning disability died on average 15 years younger than those who were not recorded with a learning disability.
People recorded with a learning disability are almost twice as likely to access primary care, 5 times more likely to call 111, twice as likely to attend A&E, 3 times more likely to be admitted to hospital as an emergency, and nearly 8 times more likely to attend Mental Health services than those without a learning disability.
An estimated 2.34% of the Wakefield District population are living with a learning disability based on the PANSI and POPPI projections. The percentage of people with a learning disability in Wakefield is not projected to change in the coming years. Wakefield is similar to other areas looking at projections for the year 2035.

Projections and Prevalence in Wakefield

Learning disability projections presented on this page are taken from the the Projecting Adult Needs and Service Information System (PANSI) and the Projecting Older People Population Information (POPPI), which provide insights into the health needs of the adult population aged 18+, including those with learning disabilities. The PANSI/POPPI definition includes learning disability, Down’s syndrome, and those who are autistic. Further information on the PANSI/POPPI data can be found here: Projecting Adult Needs and Service Information System / Projecting Older People Population Information System.

Learning disability prevalence presented on this page uses data recorded in Wakefield GP practice systems. It only includes where a learning disability diagnosis has been recorded and does not include neurodiversity. It is possible that learning disability is under-recorded in GP systems – people with mild learning disabilities may never be diagnosed and historical under diagnosis may play a part in this.

See the notes section of each dashboard for more information on inclusions and definitions.

The JSNA Neurodiversity page includes information on adult and Year 12 pupil (16-17 year old) self-identified neurodiversity.

How does Wakefield compare and what are the differences within the district?

Learning Disability Prevalence

Based on learning disability recorded in Wakefield GP practice systems…

0.7% of the Wakefield population (around 2,400 people) are recorded on GP practice systems as living with a learning disability.
There are inequalities within the population. Between March 2025 and February 2026, the average age of death for people recorded with a learning disability was 62 years, compared to 77 years in those who were not recorded with a learning disability.
People recorded with a learning disability are almost twice as likely to access primary care, 5 times more likely to call 111, twice as likely to attend A&E, 3 times more likely to be admitted to hospital as an emergency, and nearly 8 times more likely to attend Mental Health services than those without a learning disability.
They are also significantly more likely to be living with other conditions and co-morbidities than those without a learning disability.
The prevalence for those aged between 20 and 39 is significantly higher than the district average and is significantly lower for those aged 0-14 and 70+. For those aged 70+, it is likely that the average age of death for those with learning disabilities has an effect on the prevalence in that population. Historical under diagnosis could also play a role. For those aged 0-14, it is possible that assessment time and formality of diagnoses may have an effect.
Prevalence is significantly higher in the White British ethnic group, this is seen nationally too. There are no biological differences across ethnicities in terms of learning disability prevalence. It is suggested that the barriers that ethnic minorities face when accessing support have an affect on diagnosis (NHS Race & Health Observatory – We Deserve Better 2023).
People with a learning disability often have co-existing conditions. When comparing people with and without a learning disability, the prevalence of anxiety, autism, dementia, epilepsy, obesity, physical disability, and type 2 diabetes are all significantly higher among those with a learning disability.

The interactive dashboard below can be used to explore the demographics and inequalities of people with learning disability recorded on GP practice systems. Click on the buttons at the bottom to navigate between the different pages. Use the buttons at the top of each page to explore the different demographics and inequalities. Click the ‘Notes’ button to find out more about inclusions and definitions.

Learning Disability Projections (including LD, Down's syndrome, and Autistic)

Based on learning disability projections in the PANSI and POPPI data…

An estimated 2.34% of the Wakefield District population are living with a learning disability.
The percentage of people with a learning disability in Wakefield is not projected to change in the coming years. Wakefield is similar to other areas looking at 2035 projections.
Looking at 10-year age groups, there is still predicted to be a higher proportion of people with a learning disability in the younger adult age groups. In 2035, learning disability in 18-24 years is still expected to be around 2.70%.

The interactive dashboard below can be used to explore the learning disability population projections in Wakefield and other local authorities in the coming years. Click on the buttons at the bottom to navigate between the different pages. Click the ‘Notes’ button to find out more about inclusions and definitions.

Further information

What support is available?