More adults with learning disabilities and autism in the Surrey heartlands are "locked up" in mental health hospitals, new figures show – as a charity urged the Government to end the "human rights scandal".

As part of Learning Disability Week, which runs all this week, charity Mencap said urgent action is needed to ensure the right support is available to prevent people being inappropriately detained.

NHS figures, which are rounded to the nearest five, show some 35 people with learning disabilities and autism in NHS Surrey Heartlands Integrated Care Board were inpatients in mental health hospitals as of the end of May.

It was an increase from around 30 people a year earlier.

In 2015, the Government pledged to halve the number of people with a learning disability and autistic people in mental health hospitals by March 2024.

The commitment would bring the rate of adult inpatients to no more than 30 adults with a learning disability per million people.

This target was missed and then re-committed for March 2025, when it was missed again.

NHS England's guidance for 2025-26 dropped the initial target, aiming instead for a minimum 10% reduction within the year.

The recent figures show there were 2,030 people with a learning disability and autism in mental health hospitals across England last month – a rate of 40 adults with a learning disability per million adults.

The Surrey heartlands also missed the original target, as the area's rate stood at 43 adults per million.

Dan Scorer, head of policy and public affairs at learning disability charity Mencap, said: "This week is Learning Disability Week and this year’s focus is ensuring people with a learning disability are seen, heard and valued in society.

"As well as celebrating people with a learning disability being supported to live full lives in their communities, it is also an opportunity to demand change for all those inappropriately detained in mental health hospitals, locked away, out of sight.

"Many are there not because they need inpatient mental health treatment but due to a lack of suitable community support to meet their needs."

He warned there is an increased risk to abuse and neglect in these units, warning they can lead to lasting trauma.

He added the key reform to help stop the inappropriate detention of people with a learning disability and autistic people in the Mental Health Bill going through Parliament will not be triggered by the Government until "sufficient community support" is in place.

"We need urgent action from Government to end this human rights scandal and a robust plan setting out how they will ensure the right community support is in place across the country," he said.

The figures also show the vast majority (90%) of inpatients with a learning disability were kept in mental health hospitals under the Mental Health Act.

Meanwhile, the average total inpatient stay for people with a learning disability stood at 4.6 years.

The Department of Health and Social Care was contacted for comment.