I have received this email reply from my MP:

Dear Steven

Thank you for contacting me about support for people with autism.

As you say, it is unacceptable that autistic people can struggle to get the support they need. I agree with you that more needs to be done. I share the Government’s aim to provide autistic people with the opportunities they deserve to succeed in all aspects of their lives.

For this reason, I support the Mental Health Bill which is currently going through Parliament. This will make it illegal to detain an autistic person in a mental health hospital for longer than 28 days. Like many, I was disappointed that the previous Government failed to make these much-needed reforms. By contrast, the Government is acting with urgency to end this outdated treatment.

Autistic people deserve to be treated with dignity and respect and to be supported in living fulfilling lives in their community. I therefore welcome the investment for local areas to develop community intensive support teams and a 24/7 crisis response for autistic people. Alongside this, NHS England has been allocated £124 million of transformation funding for learning disability and autism services. These are positive steps towards ensuring that autistic people can access the support they need close to home.

I am also pleased that the Government is investing £4.3 million to improve services for autistic children and young people, including autism assessment services. Alongside this, a “Neurodivergence Task and Finish Group” has been created to drive support for neurodivergent children. This will work closely with local authorities, schools and families to ensure inclusion is at the heart of learning. Additionally, a £740 million funding injection has been provided to adapt classrooms to be more accessible for children with Special Educational Needs and Disabilities (SEND), and to create specialist facilities within mainstream schools to deliver more intensive support for autistic children.

Finally, one of the biggest challenges our country faces today is the growing number of people out of work due to health problems or a disability. That is why I support reforms to the health and disability benefits system, so that autistic people have the right to work and the right support while in employment.

Thank you again for writing to me about this issue.

Yours sincerely,

Harpreet Uppal MP