Adults with learning disabilities need more support and encouragement to vote

Voting needs to be made more accessible to people with a learning disability, according to the Parliamentary Committee.

Less than a third (31 per cent) of people with learning disabilities voted in the 2001 general election - much lower than the population as a whole (59 per cent).

Mencap spokesperson Ismail Kaji told a Select Committee of MPs that work needs to be done to encourage and support people with a learning disability to vote in the 2015 general election.

Ismail Kaji, Parliamentary affairs assistant at Mencap said: “One of the reasons is a culture of inaccessible politics. Mencap is calling for parties to consider communicating in a clearer, jargon-free way, which will be more easily understood by people with a learning disability and their families.”

He added: “Unfortunately, many people with a learning disability don’t see the point in registering to vote. They don’t think voting will affect their lives or make any difference. This is bad because many decisions made by Parliament have a huge impact on them like cuts to social care and benefits.”

Graham Allen MP, chair of the Committee said: “It is a basic democratic principle that all citizens are able to participate on an equal basis, and people must not be disenfranchised as a result of having a learning disability.”

Mr Kaji also highlighted problems with the process such as the voter registration form.

“It was very complicated to fill in. I did not know what I had to do. The information that explained the forms was not clear. I had to bring the form into work so my colleagues could support me to fill it in. This is not fair. It made me feel excluded,” he said.

Mencap is working to make voting more accessible and will be producing easy-read guidance for people with a learning disability, their families and support workers. This will be an important part of a new campaign in the lead up to the 2015 general election.