Background  Despite there being considerable evidence to suggest that friendships are central to health and well‐being, relatively little attention had been paid to the friendships of people with intellectual disabilities.Methods  Friendship activities involving people with and without intellectual disabilities were measured over the preceding month in a sample of 1542 adults with intellectual disabilities receiving supported accommodation in nine geographical localities in Northern England.Results  The results of the study indicate: (1) low levels of friendship activities among people with intellectual disabilities in supported accommodation; (2) people with intellectual disabilities are more likely to be involved in activities with friends who also have intellectual disabilities than with friends who do not have intellectual disabilities; (3) most friendship activities take place in the public domain rather than in more private settings (e.g. at home); (4) the setting in which a person lives is a more significant determinant of the form and content of activities with their friends than the characteristics of participants.Conclusions  Further attention needs to be given to research and practice initiatives aimed at increasing the levels of friendship activities of people with intellectual disabilities.

This study reports the friendship experiences and aspirations of adults with intellectual disabilities. The findings of a larger study were reviewed by an expert group of self‐advocates with intellectual disability. The expert group confirmed some of the interpretation of the original data and expanded on issues. Friendship is established as an issue of concern among adults with intellectual disability. Consequently, policy‐makers and service providers need to be intentional about providing support for friendships. Participants asserted a positive self‐identity of being a person with intellectual disability and how this could be a basis for friendship. Also, people with intellectual disability demonstrated how they should be considered experts in their own life experience and how they can be effectively included in the formulation, implementation, analysis and review of research.