Understanding the rights of adults on the autism spectrum is an important factor in making sure equality is upheld in developing services and support.
The Disability Discrimination Act (DDA) is a key a key piece of legislation put in place to promote equality for people with a disability. It places a Disability Equality Duty (DED) on public authorities to promote equality for disabled people, including by making reasonable adjustments to enable them to access services. The autism strategy makes it clear that this duty applies to adults on the autism spectrum.
From 1 October 2010, the Equality Act replaced most of the DDA. However, the DED continues to apply.