The Mental Health Act (2025) and people who have learning disabilities

The United Kingdom Government has passed a new Mental Health Act for England and Wales amending the Mental Health Act (1983). The new Act has made changes to the definition of learning disability, has declassified learning disability as a mental disorder and changed the grounds for detaining people with learning disabilities to hospital. The Act also introduces new rights and statutory requirements that will impact on the lives of people who have learning disabilities who are admitted to inpatient mental health services. In this article the main changes are outlined with reflections on how these may impact on people who have learning disabilities. Easy to read summary ■ The government has changed the law about how people who have learning disabilities can be detained to hospital for mental health treatment. ■ People will not be admitted because they have a learning disability. ■ To be admitted people who have a learning disability will need to have a psychiatric disorder. ■ This law also gives people new rights before and after they are detained. ■ The article summarises these rights and what impact they may have.