A report released today finds that 2 in 3 autistic adults in England are not getting the support they need. Led by the National Autistic Society, with funding from Pears Foundation, an inquiry by the All Party Parliamentary Group on Autism concludes that 10 years after the introduction of the landmark Autism Act, not enough has been done locally and nationally to make sure that the Act is being enforced. Without the right autism-specific services, people’s needs become more complex, including mental health problems and hitting crisis point. The inquiry found that:
- 26% (1 in 4) of autistic adults need support to live more independently; just 5% (1 in 20) get this
- While 20% (1 in 5) of all autistic adults need support with day-to-day tasks, like washing, cooking and going out the house; only 6% (just over 1 in 20) get this
- 38% (nearly 2 in 5) of autistic adults need support from social groups; only 16% have this support
- 29% (nearly 3 in 10) of autistic adults need buddying or befriending; just 4% (1 in 25) get this
Responding to the inquiry’s findings, National Autistic Society has today launched a new campaign Not Enough, demanding better support and services for autistic people in England.