Some people with learning difficulties miss out on £3,000 benefit per year

People with learning difficulties and their families are missing
out on benefits worth up to £3,000 per family per year, new
research reveals.

The study by a welfare rights team in Plymouth shows that of 180
benefits checked, 106 were wrong.

The biggest single error involved people not receiving the top
disability living allowance mobility and care rates that they were
entitled to. Some carers were also wrongly being told they were not
eligible for invalid care allowance.

Learning difficulties charity Mencap has estimated that as much
as £750 million across the UK is “lying unclaimed”, with 60
per cent of people with a learning difficulty and their families
“either not being aware of their rights or being given the wrong
advice”.

The charity has called on the government to consider the needs
of people with learning difficulties as an urgent priority.

The findings echo those of an earlier study carried out in
Wales, during which Wrexham welfare rights unit found that, across
40 families, a total of £118,000 of benefits had not been
claimed. Only two of the 40 claimants studied were being paid the
correct rate.

– Research published this week by Mencap to coincide with
National Learning Disability Week reveals that despite positive
attitudes to people with a disability, many people with a learning
difficulty still face discrimination in everyday life and exclusion
from mainstream society. Nine out of 10 people with a learning
difficulty experienced bullying in the last year. More information
from www.mencap.org.uk