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Why the UK's new autism strategy must deliver change
UK's House of Lords special inquiry committee speaks out
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By Peter Clark (Senior Editor, Autism Info Center) Tuesday 2nd December 2025 |
A special inquiry committee from the House of Lords has published a critical report titled 'Time to deliver: The Autism Act 2009 and the new autism strategy'.
The report concludes that while the original Autism Act was a landmark piece of legislation, successive governments have failed to implement it effectively, leaving autistic people to face unacceptable inequalities in health, employment, and education.
The committee found that more than 200,000 people are currently waiting for an autism assessment in England.
The report urgently calls on the government to develop a new, robust strategy to be ready by July 2026.
Key recommendations include mandatory training for health and care staff, better employment support, and a clearer system of accountability to ensure that autistic people do not fall through the cracks of public services.
The committee chair emphasized that the government must move beyond awareness and towards delivering actual change in the daily lives of neurodivergent people.
Source: UK Parliament
https://committees.parliament.uk/committee/770/autism-act-2009-committee/
Further reading, listening and viewing...
Have you seen our books about Autism and Neurodiversity?
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