Report finds adults with learning disabilities and autism in England die almost 20 years younger

Adults with learning disabilities and autism in England are dying nearly 20 years younger than the rest of the population, according to a long-awaited mortality review commissioned by NHS England.

The Learning Disabilities Mortality Review (LeDeR) found that 39% of deaths of people with learning disabilities and autism in 2023 were classified as avoidable, almost twice the rate recorded in the general population. The review examined the deaths of 3,556 adults during 2023 and compared those findings with data from previous years to identify patterns and potential failings in care.

The LeDeR programme, established in 2015 to investigate why people with learning disabilities were dying younger and from preventable causes, was due to publish its annual report last year but faced repeated delays before the release this week. The review was led by a team at King's College London and commissioned by NHS England to provide detailed, case-level scrutiny of deaths and to recommend improvements in services.

NHS England said it would respond to the report by expanding training for staff and improving early identification of people with learning disabilities so they can receive more appropriate and timely care. The organisation described the findings as a continued call to action to tackle disparities in health outcomes for people with learning disabilities and autism.

Charities and campaigners have for years highlighted a marked life-expectancy gap between people with learning disabilities and the wider population. Mencap, a leading UK charity for people with learning disabilities, estimates about 1.5 million people in the United Kingdom have a learning disability, which it defines as a lifelong reduced intellectual ability usually identified soon after birth or in the early years.

The LeDeR review assigns deaths to categories that enable reviewers to judge whether different care might have prevented the outcome. In 2023, the proportion of deaths judged avoidable among people with learning disabilities and autism was nearly double that seen in mortality reviews of the general population, prompting LeDeR authors and campaign groups to urge a faster, system-wide response.

Those working in learning-disability services and the NHS pointed to persistent issues such as delays in diagnosis, barriers to accessing standard treatments, and inconsistent recognition of complex health needs as contributing factors. NHS England said measures to address these will include targeted education for health and social care staff and better processes to identify patients with learning disabilities when they interact with services.

LeDeR was created to provide structured, independent reviews of deaths to help identify trends and local failings. The 2023 analysis is the latest in an ongoing series intended to track changes over time and to assess whether interventions are reducing avoidable deaths. The report’s authors compared the 3,556 deaths reviewed in 2023 with prior years’ data to look for emerging patterns and areas that require urgent improvement.

Campaigners said the latest figures underline the need for sustained investment and accountability across health and social care. They also called for clearer national standards and better data-sharing between health and care services so that vulnerable patients receive timely, appropriate care.

NHS England said it would publish more detailed plans in response to the LeDeR findings and continue working with local systems, clinicians and charities to reduce the disparity in life expectancy. LeDeR reviews will continue to provide case-level learning intended to inform clinical practice and policy, with the aim of reducing avoidable deaths among people with learning disabilities and autism.

The new report adds to a body of evidence collected since LeDeR’s creation that shows far-reaching disparities in health outcomes for people with learning disabilities. Officials, clinicians and advocacy organisations said the findings reinforce the need for targeted action to ensure that people with learning disabilities and autism receive the same access to effective, timely healthcare as the rest of the population.