The National Autistic Society

The National Autistic Society is the UK’s leading charity for autistic people

We are here to transform lives, change attitudes and create a society that works for autistic people.

Since 1962, we have been campaigning for autistic people’s rights and providing support and advice to autistic people and their families.

To find out more about autism or the charity, visit www.autism.org.uk

Follow the National Autistic Society on Twitter @Autism or Facebook.

What is autism?

Autism is a lifelong disability which affects how people communicate and interact with the world.

There are around 700,000 autistic children and adults in the UK.

Autism is a spectrum. This means autistic people have their own strengths and face varying challenges. Some autistic children and adults need 24-hour care and support. Others simply need clearer communication and a little longer to do things at work or school.

Although everyone is different, people on the autism spectrum may:

Feel intense anxiety about change or unexpected events

Be under or oversensitive to sounds, touch, tastes, smells, light or colours

Need time to process information, like questions or instructions

Face high levels of anxiety in social situations

Have difficulties communicating and interacting with others

Without the right support or understanding:

autistic people can miss out on an education, struggle to find work and become extremely isolated

Notes to editors

The National Autistic Society