Autism Helpline
The Autism Helpline enquiry service provides impartial, confidential information along with advice for autistic people, their families, friends and carers.
Contact us by:
Telephone: 0808 800 4104
Due to the impact of the COVID-19 virus, our Helpline telephone opening hours have been amended to:
10am – 3pm, Monday to Friday.
Filling out our online enquiry form:
Post:
Autism Helpline
The National Autistic Society
393 City Road
London, EC1V 1NG
United Kingdom
Due to the impact of the COVID-19 virus, unfortunately we are unable to receive enquiries via post currently. We will update this page when we are able to resume this service.
Alternatively, you may be able to find your answers online in our Finding answers online section below.
"Kirsty was so understanding. Although I was made aware that calls were approximately 15 minutes, I didn't feel rushed."
"Rob was very helpful and completely understanding at a time when I felt very isolated about my daughter's education."
“Vivien gave me so many ways forward. Having an email detailing the conversation was incredibly beneficial.”
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- Answer general questions about autism – for example, we can talk through what the condition is, how it may impact someone and talk through low arousal ideas that may help.
- Highlight some options on where and how to access support in your local area. For example, how to access support at home or in the workplace.
- Provide information about other organisations that may be able to help you.
- Provide some resources that may be useful.
- Talk through how autism may play a part in someone’s life. For example, finding employment, accessing the community, etc.
- explain and talk through how to go about explaining autism to other people and services.
- Provide an overview of accessing and applying for benefits and welfare, Community Care, accessing healthcare, etc.
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- The Helpline cannot advise you on legal issues. None of our advisers are legally trained. However, where possible we can give you details of solicitors and law societies that may be able to help you. Please be aware that knowing your rights within context is legal advice and we cannot interpret an individual’s circumstance.
- We cannot advise you on medical or clinical issues. None of the Helpline Advisers are clinically nor medically trained. However, where possible we will give you details of specialists who may be able to help.
- The Autism Helpline cannot take on your case or act as an advocate. We are able to provide details of organisations that may be able to help, but we are unable to contact them on your behalf.
- We cannot offer a counselling service. None of the Helpline Advisers are qualified counsellors and therefore are unable to provide opinions or comments for personal experience. However, we may be able to signpost to counsellors with knowledge of autism who may be able to help.
- We cannot offer a call back service and are unable to actively refer people on. Please do not leave contact details on behalf of someone else when submitting your enquiry.
- We cannot advise you about conditions which are not part of the autism spectrum such as ADHD or schizophrenia.
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Please be aware that the Autism Helpline is not a crisis or emergency service. We do not hold the authority under UK legislation and the Care Act 2014 to investigate, assess or intervene.
If you or you feel that someone you know is vulnerable and may be at risk, it may be worthwhile contacting your local children or adult safeguarding services who are the appropriate services to make a decision should they feel it is appropriate to do so.
If you feel that you are able to contact your local authority’s safeguarding service yourself, you can find their details by typing into a search engine such as Google: “[your local authority] [ adult/child] safeguarding team].”
You would be looking for a webpage specific to your local authority (council) which should include the contact details of your area’s safeguarding services. In order to be certain that the webpage is specific to your local authority, please keep an eye out for the webpage URL address to end in “.gov.uk” as a local authority and government body website will end in the suffix.
If you feel you or someone you know is in immediate risk or danger, it is a case of contacting emergency services, such as the police. You can contact them using the contact details below:
Telephone: 101
In an emergency telephone: 999
Textphone: 18001 followed by 101
Textphone in an emergency: 18000
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For training and quality purposes there may occasionally be another person listening to your call. The personal data you provide will be used for administration, statistical and other purposes connected with the National Autistic Society and autism.
Information is not disclosed to third parties for marketing or other purposes not connected with autism. Technical and organisational measures are taken to prevent unauthorised or unlawful processing or disclosure of information. Please see our privacy and protection policy.
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We may at times signpost enquirers on to other organisations. We cannot guarantee the service of other organisations we refer you to and therefore cannot make recommendations. These external websites and organisations are maintained by other groups. They are provided in good faith. The presence of a service does not necessarily imply that the National Autistic Society endorses or supports the originator(s), nor does the absence of a group imply that the National Autistic Society does not support it and cannot be held responsible for the quality of information provided.