CW: Death
A recent report from England has revealed a deeply troubling reality. Adults with intellectual and developmental disabilities are dying nearly 20 years earlier than the general population. This is not just a statistic. It is a reflection of systemic neglect and inequality that has persisted for decades.
The 2023 Learning Disabilities Mortality Review (LeDeR), commissioned by NHS England and led by researchers at King’s College London, examined the deaths of more than 3,500 adults. The findings are stark. The average age at death for people with intellectual and developmental disabilities is just 62.5 years.
For those with severe or profound disabilities, the gap widens even further. They die 25 years younger on average. Nearly 39 percent of these deaths were considered avoidable, almost double the rate seen in the general population.
Many of these deaths were due to treatable conditions. Common causes included pneumonia, digestive cancers, and coronary heart disease.
The report identifies poor coordination of care, delayed or inappropriate treatment, and a lack of proactive health support as key contributors. These are not new issues. Advocacy groups have raised alarms for years, including in Mencap’s landmark “Death by Indifference” report. Yet, meaningful change remains elusive.
This crisis is not confined to England. In the United States, studies have shown that adults with intellectual and developmental disabilities die on average 16 to 20 years earlier than those without disabilities. Similar disparities exist in Australia, where people with intellectual disabilities face a life expectancy gap of up to 27 years. In Canada, research has found that individuals with developmental disabilities are more likely to die prematurely, often from preventable causes.
Across member countries of the Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development (OECD), disability is strongly correlated with lower life expectancy, poor health outcomes, and limited access to care. Behind every statistic is a person. A life cut short not by chance, but by systemic failure.
The LeDeR report also highlights racial disparities. People with intellectual and developmental disabilities from non-white backgrounds die even younger than their white counterparts.
Globally, disability intersects with poverty, race, and gender putting people at further disadvantage. In developing countries, mortality rates for disabled children can be as high as 80 percent, according to the World Bank and UNICEF.
The NHS (National Health Service) in England has pledged to improve staff training and early identification of patients with intellectual disabilities. But experts argue that awareness alone is not enough.
Action is what matters. Mandatory health checks, tailored care plans, better integration between services, and accountability for avoidable deaths are essential. Patients and their families must be heard.
This is not just a healthcare issue. It is a human rights issue. In a society that values compassion and progress, no one should die early because they were overlooked or underserved. The time for change is now. Not in another report. Not in another inquiry. But in real, measurable improvements that ensure every person with an intellectual or developmental disability receives the care and respect they deserve.
Sources:
Durbin, Anna, et al. “Community and Hospital Healthcare Use by Adults With and Without Intellectual and Developmental Disabilities in Ontario, Canada, During the First 2 Years of the COVID-19 Pandemic.” Journal of Intellectual Disability Research: JIDR, vol. 69, no. 4, Jan. 2025, pp. 318–327. https://doi.org/10.1111/jir.13209.
Landes, Scott D., et al. “Evidence of Continued Reduction in the Age-at-Death Disparity between Adults with and without Intellectual and/or Developmental Disabilities.” Journal of Applied Research in Intellectual Disabilities, vol. 34, no. 3, John Wiley & Sons, Ltd, May 2021, pp. 916–920. https://doi.org/10.1111/jar.12840.
Landes, Scott D., et al. “Trends in Mortality of People with Intellectual and Developmental Disabilities in the United States.” Journal of Applied Research in Intellectual Disabilities, vol. 33, no. 3, 2020, pp. 345–355. Wiley Online Library, https://doi.org/10.1111/jar.12682.
Reed, Jim. “Adults with Learning Disabilities Die 20 Years Early, Says Report.” BBC News, BBC, 2 Sept. 2025, http://www.bbc.com/news/articles/c939311dpn1o.
Reppermund, Simone, et al. “Factors Associated with Death in People with Intellectual Disability.” Journal of Applied Research in Intellectual Disabilities, vol. 33, no. 3, John Wiley & Sons, Ltd, May 2020, pp. 420–429. https://doi.org/10.1111/jar.12684.
Worthington, Elise. “People with Intellectual Disabilities Twice as Likely to Suffer Preventable Death, Study Finds.” ABC News Australia, The Australian Broadcasting Corporation, 8 Feb. 2017, http://www.abc.net.au/news/2017-02-08/study-finds-intellectually-disabled-two-times-preventable-death/8248772.