Learning Disability Week: shining a light on mate crime and protecting vulnerable people

This week is Learning Disability Week, an annual campaign led by Mencap, a charity that supports people with learning disabilities.

The theme for 2025 is ‘Do you see me?’, calling for greater visibility, inclusion and respect for individuals with learning difficulties in every area of life.

As part of this important week, we’re raising awareness about a lesser-known but deeply harmful issue that people with learning difficulties may be particularly vulnerable to - mate crime.

What is mate crime?

Mate crime is a form of hate crime. It happens when someone pretends to be a friend in order to exploit, manipulate or abuse another person. This abuse can be financial, physical, emotional or sexual.

In some cases, victims suffer lasting harm, and in the most tragic instances, even lose their lives.

People with learning difficulties are often targeted. This may be because they’re viewed as being easier to manipulate or less likely to speak up.

What our data reveals about learning difficulties and money

A significant number of people with learning difficulties and neurodivergent conditions face financial hardship.

Between June 2024 and May 2025, over 5,000 people who received phone advice told us they were living with this type of condition.

Digging deeper into the demographics, our data shows that young people and men are most likely to report learning difficulties or neurodivergence when seeking financial support.

More than 15% of the Gen Z males we spoke to disclosed a learning difficulty or neurodivergence, along with nearly 13% of millennial males. Among females, nearly 10% of those seeking advice disclosed a learning difficulty or neurodivergence.

There are a variety of reasons people with learning difficulties or neurodivergence may face financial hardship. For a start, they may find it harder to secure stable employment.

Certainly, our stats show that this demographic tends to owe less in total but the amount is spread over a higher number of debts than the wider population. This may reflect that they find it more difficult to access credit due to having lower incomes.

As well as potentially making it harder to earn money, learning difficulties and neurodivergence can also make it more difficult to manage money.

It seems particularly cruel when people are already facing financial challenges that they also have to contend with unscrupulous people looking to exploit them. That’s why this Learning Disability Week, we’re keen to highlight the issue of mate crime and increase vigilance against it.

What does mate crime look like?

One of the most harmful consequences of financial vulnerability and social isolation is exploitation.

Mate crime is one example of exploitation but it can take many forms, such as:

• a ‘friend’ borrowing money and refusing to pay it back
• someone taking over a person’s home
• theft of benefits or personal belongings
• being pressured to do things the person is uncomfortable with

Who’s at risk?

Certain factors can make someone more vulnerable to mate crime:

• having limited close friends or family
• living with a learning or physical disability
• struggling with mental health
• using drugs or misusing alcohol
• feeling isolated or having low self-esteem

Warning signs to look out for

Mate crime can be hard to spot, but here are some signs that someone might be experiencing it:

• unpaid bills or sudden money problems
• unexplained gifts or money
• changes in routine, appearance or behaviour
• new people frequently visiting or staying over
• withdrawing from social activities
• injuries with no clear explanation
• neglecting personal hygiene or health
• acting secretively, especially online or on their phone
• a ‘friend’ who mocks, bullies or undermines them

Mate crime and loan sharks

Loan sharks could be considered a particularly sinister example of mate crime. In times of financial stress, some people are targeted by illegal money lenders who seem helpful at first but can quickly turn abusive.

These loan sharks might:

• be introduced by someone you know
• say things like ‘I’m just helping out’
• demand repayment with no official paperwork
• take your passport, bank card or valuables
• use threats or violence when payments are missed

According to the Centre for Social Justice 64% of loan shark victims were introduced to the lender by friends or family and 56% thought the lender was a friend before borrowing money.

Loan shark red flags

Watch out for:

• a friendly approach that changes once you owe them money
• no formal agreements or paperwork
• possessions taken as ‘security’
• a debt that never seems to reduce
• threats, intimidation or bullying

How can we prevent mate crime?

We can reduce the risk by:

• teaching children and young people how to spot fake friends
• promoting safe online behaviour
• raising awareness of support services
• strengthening safeguarding for vulnerable adults
• encouraging open conversations about abuse and exploitation

If you or someone you know is experiencing mate crime, don’t stay silent. Reach out to local safeguarding teams, the police or a trusted organisation like Mencap for support.