Mencap

What Mencap does

Mencap (legally the Royal Mencap Society) is the UK's largest and longest-standing charity for people with a learning disability, founded in 1946 by Judy Fryd as the National Association of Parents of Backward Children and renamed Mencap in 1969. The organisation provides direct personal support services (supported living, in-home care, day services such as Me Time), employment pathways through the Mencap Training Academy and Job Squad, a free Learning Disability Helpline, an extensive Easy Read accessible information library, advocacy and campaigning (Treat Me Well, I'm In, Myth Busters), and a network of charity shops across England. It serves approximately 4,000 people directly through commissioned services and targets the 1.5-1.6 million people in the UK with a learning disability, supported through regional subsidiaries Mencap Cymru and Mencap NI and adjacent entities Mencap Trust Company (1976) and Golden Lane Housing (1998).

The organisation operates a hybrid charity revenue model with no commercial pricing. Income derives from public-sector social care contracts with local authorities and the NHS, diversified fundraising channels (donations, corporate partnerships such as the £3.9m Omaze UK 2024 partnership, events including Learning Disability Week's One Big Walk, lottery, payroll giving, gifts in wills), retail charity shops, and ancillary professional services such as Wills and Trusts. Mencap 2030 (launched 2026) sets out a five-year strategy targeting early years, employment, aging, inclusion, and digital transformation, underpinned by a stated £11m investment by 2030 to grow annual fundraised income by £6m and a broader target of raising almost £40m over five years. The organisation is governed by a board chaired by Lynne Peacock with CEO Jon Sparkes OBE (appointed June 2024) and a leadership team of three executive directors; it employs 5,001-10,000 people and is registered as charity number 222377 (England and Wales) and SC041079 (Scotland).

The go-to-market is community-led and event-driven, combining a national activism programme (community activism coaches), high-profile corporate partnerships (Chopstix, British Gas Energy Trust, Hymans Robertson, Reason Digital), earned media and PR, and direct service delivery. Distribution runs through regional direct support teams, the free Learning Disability Helpline, the charity shop network, the Training Academy, employer partnerships creating supported internships and paid roles, an online advice hub, and parliamentary and policy engagement with DWP, DHSC, and local authorities. Operating geographies are England, Wales, and Northern Ireland. In December 2024 Mencap warned that up to £18m in annual cost pressures from National Insurance and minimum wage increases threatened closure of at least 60 services affecting ~200 people with learning disabilities and ~400 staff, and in September 2025 the CQC rated its Northamptonshire domiciliary care agency inadequate and placed it in special measures.

Name

Mencap

Legal name

Royal Mencap Society

Website

https://mencap.org.uk

Company type

Private

Founded year

1946

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

5,001–10,000 employees

Short description

Mencap is the UK's largest learning disability charity, founded in 1946, delivering personal support services, employment pathways, advocacy, and accessible information to people with learning disabilities across England, Wales, and Northern Ireland.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Disability Services and Learning Disability Support

NAICS

Services for the Elderly and Persons with Disabilities (62412), Services for the Elderly and Persons with Disabilities (624120), Social Assistance (624), Vocational Rehabilitation Services (62431), Vocational Rehabilitation Services (6243), Community Housing Services (62422)

SIC

Services-Social Services (8300), Services-Skilled Nursing Care Facilities (8051)

akta.pro primary industry

Disability Services & Independent Living Support (BPAGAEAG)

akta.pro secondary industries

Disability Services & Assistive Solutions (Accessibility, Assistive Tech) (BPAGALAM), Housing Assistance & Homeless Services (BPAGAEAB)

Keywords

• Learning disability support
• Disability advocacy services
• Social care services
• Supported employment programs
• Charity fundraising services

Headquarters

HQ city

London

HQ country

United Kingdom

HQ region

Europe

Offices3 records

Markets served

GTM type

B2C

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Operations, Marketing or Sales, Others, Technology or R&D, Infrastructure

Revenue model

1. Fundraising and Donations: Mencap raises funds through donations, corporate partnerships (e.g., Omaze UK partnership raising £3.9m in 2024), events, lottery, payroll giving, and gifts in wills. The charity plans to invest £11m by 2030 to diversify its fundraising income and increase annual fundraised income by £6m.
2. Retail Charity Shops: Mencap operates charity shops across England selling donated goods, generating income while providing volunteering opportunities for people with learning disabilities as a pathway to paid employment.
3. Social Care Services: Mencap provides social care and personal support services under contract with local authorities and the NHS, including supported living for people with learning disabilities.
4. Training Academy: The Mencap Training Academy offers supported internships and pre-internships to young people with learning disabilities, with funding partly supported by corporate partners like Chopstix.

Go-to-market motion2 records

Distribution channels7 records

Marketing channels8 records

Core offering

Mencap is the UK's leading learning disability charity, providing direct personal support and supported living services, the Mencap Training Academy offering supported internships, a free Learning Disability Helpline, an Easy Read accessible information library, Wills and Trusts services via Mencap Trust Company, energy and money advice, and a network of charity shops. It also runs advocacy campaigns such as Treat Me Well, Myth Busters, and I'm In, and engages in parliamentary and policy work on disability rights and social care funding.

Product overview

Mencap is a UK-based learning disability charity offering a comprehensive suite of services organized around three pillars: Care (personal support services, supported living, safeguarding, and crisis support), Community (charity shops, employment programs, and the Mencap Training Academy), and Campaigning (advocacy initiatives including Treat Me Well, Myth Busters, and I'm In). The core service portfolio includes the Learning Disability Helpline providing advice and support, the Mencap Training Academy delivering supported internships for employment, the Job Squad showcasing inclusive employment examples, an extensive Easy Read Library making information accessible, Wills and Trusts legal services for family planning, Energy and Money Advice including specialist caseworkers, and Mencap Shops as a retail fundraising channel. Strategic initiatives include Mencap 2030 (2026-2030 five-year strategy) and various campaigns addressing healthcare equality, disability rights, and financial inclusion.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Brands

• Mencap Training Academy: Offers supported internships and pre-internships to young people with learning disabilities to help them gain employment skills and find paid work
• Mencap Trust Company
• Mencap Shops
• Learning Disability Helpline
• I'm In
• Mencap 2030
• FamilyHub
• Gateway clubs
• Me Time
• Myth Busters

Products and services

• Learning Disability Helpline Free telephone and email advice service for people with a learning disability, their families, and carers.
• Mencap Training Academy Training academy providing supported internships and pre-internships to help young people with learning disabilities gain employment skills and find paid work.
• Personal Support Services Supported living and personal support services for people with a learning disability across the UK, delivered under contracts with local authorities.
• Mencap Job Squad Employment programme featuring people with learning disabilities in paid jobs, demonstrating inclusive workplaces and providing mentorship through the Mencap Training Academy.
• Easy Read Library Accessible Easy Read resources making written information easier to understand with pictures, covering topics including employment, money, energy, housing, and health.
• Mencap Shops Charity retail stores across England selling donated items, with proceeds supporting Mencap's charitable activities and providing volunteering-to-work pathways.
• Wills and Trusts Service

Quantifiable outcome

• 1,200 people with a learning disability die avoidable deaths every year due to poor NHS healthcare
• +3 more outcomes

Named customers5 records

Ideal customer profiles4 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Partnerships

Six partnerships are on record, tiered minor, core and flagship.

• Historic EnglandminorOthers · 6 March 2026Historic England awarded a National Blue Plaque to Mencap founder Judy Fryd at her former home in Harpenden on 6 March 2026, marking the place where she formed the National Association of Parents of Backward Children in 1946. Historic England's Heritage Schools team also created a Key Stage 2 education resource about Judy Fryd.
• ChopstixcoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 9 January 2026Chopstix, one of the UK's fastest growing Asian-inspired quick service restaurant brands with over 150 locations, partnered with Mencap in January 2026 to boost employment for people with learning disabilities. The partnership includes funding for schemes, creating pathways into paid employment at Chopstix restaurants and Mencap charity shops, and supported internship programmes. Arjhay, a Mencap Job Squad member, works at Chopstix and has spoken at Parliament about his journey. Chopstix customers can donate via QR codes in-store and till top-ups.
• Omaze UKflagshipGTM or Marketing Partner · 1 January 2024In 2024, Mencap's partnership with Omaze UK raised £3.9 million, enabling the charity to fund awareness initiatives and campaigns to break down barriers and create a fairer, more inclusive society for people with learning disabilities.
• Hymans RobertsonminorStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 2016Hymans Robertson, a financial services firm, partnered with Mencap to deliver a Money Management programme teaching young people with learning disabilities about finances, pensions, saving, and borrowing. Volunteers from the firm ran sessions at their London offices.
• British Gas Energy TrustcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerMencap partners with British Gas Energy Trust, an independent charity supporting people to manage money and energy bills. Together they created an accessible Easy Read advice hub on energy and money for people with learning disabilities. The Trust funds Mencap's energy saving packs (including blankets and hot water bottles) for people with learning disabilities, and supports Mencap's energy and money caseworkers who provide tailored advice.
• Local Mencap Network PartnerscoreChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorMencap has a network of local Mencap societies and partners across England, Wales, and Northern Ireland that deliver local services, community events, and advocacy for people with learning disabilities.

Scale indicators16 records

Recent moves8 records

Expansion highlights6 records

Market position

Competitive moat5 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights6 records

Customer concentration

• Xx.com/mencap_charity
• YouTubeyoutube.com/user/MencapDirector
• Facebookfacebook.com/Mencap
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/mencap
• Instagraminstagram.com/mencap

Compliance2 records

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles5 records

Subsidiaries4 records

Funding overview

Funding rounds1 record

Investors

Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

M&A

Investments

M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

Frequently asked questions about Mencap