Health · England
Asking about a learning disability assessment
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This guide is for people in England.
A learning disability affects learning and everyday skills.
The difficulties start before adulthood.
Some people get their diagnosis as adults.
An assessment can help explain their support needs.
Dyslexia affects reading and writing.
It does not automatically mean a learning disability.
Talk to your GP about an assessment.
For children, a health visitor can also help.
Write down your strengths and difficulties.
Explain what help you need in everyday life.
The assessor considers different information.
One test score does not tell the whole story.
Explain how you communicate.
Ask for suitable tests, support and breaks.
Ask for results you can understand.
Ask what help should happen next.
Ask for support while you wait.
A diagnosis does not automatically mean free care.
Ask your GP about their learning disability register.
This is different from a full assessment.
What you can do next
Ask which service can assess your needs.
Ask someone you trust to help you prepare.
Read NHS guidance about getting support Web pageThis link opens another website.
It may use harder words.
More useful links
- GP learning disability register guidance Web page
Use when discussing identification and health support with the GP.
- What an assessment can involve Web page
A local NHS example of the components; ask your own service about its process.
These links open other websites.
They may use harder words.
Getting a learning disability assessment
How assessment considers lifelong learning and everyday support needs, and how to ask for help.
Children and adults · England
What learning disability means here
In England, learning disability means significant difficulties with intellectual functioning and everyday adaptive skills, beginning during development before adulthood. Adaptive skills include understanding information, communication, practical tasks and managing everyday situations. People have different strengths and support needs. A diagnosis made in adulthood can recognise difficulties present since childhood. A new loss of skills in adulthood needs assessment for other causes.
Different from a specific learning difficulty
Dyslexia mainly affects reading and writing; dyscalculia affects understanding numbers; dyspraxia affects coordination and related tasks. These are not automatically a learning disability. Autism and ADHD also do not automatically mean someone has a learning disability. Conditions can occur together. Ask the clinician to explain the terms they are using rather than inferring ability from a label.
Starting the conversation for a child
Discuss developmental or learning concerns with the GP or health visitor. Also tell the nursery or school’s special educational needs coordinator, called the SENCO. Explain strengths, development and difficulties across home and education. The route may involve community paediatrics, psychology, speech and language therapy or other services. Support and developmental review can start before a final diagnosis. Ask who coordinates the next steps.
Starting the conversation as an adult
Ask the GP whether a learning disability assessment is appropriate and which local service accepts referrals. Community learning disability teams or clinical psychology services may assess, but local routes and criteria differ. Describe difficulties since childhood and the support needed now. If a referral is declined, ask for written reasons, which evidence was considered and what alternative assessment or support route is suggested.
What a full assessment can include
An assessor may explore learning, reasoning and problem-solving using adapted discussion and recognised tests. They also consider adaptive functioning: how everyday life works and what help is needed. Developmental history helps establish when difficulties began. With appropriate permission, a person who knows you well and earlier records can contribute. Test scores must be interpreted alongside this information, not used alone.
Make the assessment accessible and fair
Explain communication, language, hearing, sight, movement and sensory needs before testing. Ask about interpreting, extra time, breaks, accessible explanations and a familiar supporter where helpful. Tell the assessor about pain, anxiety, sleep, medicines and other factors affecting participation. If a test cannot be completed meaningfully, ask how the assessor will account for that and what other evidence can be used.
Prepare useful information without having to prove everything
Bring examples of things you manage and things you find difficult, including how much prompting or support helps. School reports, previous assessments and a developmental history may help if available. Do not delay asking because records or relatives are unavailable. Ask what evidence is essential, how missing information will be handled and whether any assessment has a charge before agreeing to it.
Diagnosis, the GP register and support are different
A GP can identify a possible learning disability for their practice register when clinically indicated, without waiting for specialist confirmation. This is not the same as a formal diagnosis. Neither registration nor diagnosis automatically decides entitlement to specialist services, benefits or council-funded care. Ask separately about reasonable adjustments, annual health checks from age 14 when eligible, and an assessment of care needs.
Get a useful explanation and plan
Ask for results in an accessible format, including strengths, support needs, the reasoning and any uncertainty. Ask what practical recommendations follow, who will act and when they will be reviewed. If you disagree, explain what was missed and ask about review, a second opinion or the service’s complaints route. Share reports only with those who need them and with appropriate agreement.
Words you could use
“I would like to discuss assessment for a possible learning disability. These difficulties began in childhood, affect my everyday life and need this communication support: …”
More useful links
- GP learning disability register guidance Web page
Use when discussing identification and health support with the GP.
- What an assessment can involve Web page
A local NHS example of the components; ask your own service about its process.
These links open other websites.
They may use harder words.
Where the information comes from
Links checked 1 November 2026.
These links open other websites.
They may use harder words.
- NHS: learning disabilities Web page
Meaning, individual support needs and diagnosis at different ages.
- NHS: getting support Web page
Starting with a GP or health visitor and asking about social care.
- NHS England: identification in general practice Web page
Developmental onset, adaptive functioning and the distinction between register identification and diagnosis.
- Greater Manchester Mental Health NHS: learning disability service Web page
Example of cognitive, adaptive and developmental assessment; local referral routes differ.
- NHS: dyslexia in children Web page
Dyslexia is a distinct learning difficulty and education support has its own route.
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