Autism assessment: NHS and private routes explained

Getting an autism assessment in the UK takes longer than it should. I say this with feeling because I've lived it. As of mid-2025, over 236,000 people were waiting for an autism assessment in England, with average waits exceeding 17 months. In some areas the wait is considerably longer. Where I live, it's currently four years — which is why I went private. So knowing how the system works and what your options are is important.

NHSStandard routeRight to ChooseEngland only — NHS-fundedPrivateSelf-funded, no wait for referral

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GP appointmentBook now

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NHS referral sent0–4 weeks

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Waiting list17 months+ average

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Assessment2–4 sessions

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Written report4–12 weeks after

Tap each step to see what happens and how long it takes.

How NHS autism assessment works

The standard route starts with your GP. You describe your concerns, your GP agrees a referral is appropriate, and you're referred to the local autism assessment service. This sits within paediatrics, CAMHS, or a community children's team, depending on your area.

The assessment itself involves:

• A developmental history interview, usually with parents or carers
• Observation of the child, sometimes across more than one session
• Standardised assessment tools (most commonly the ADOS-2 and ADI-R)
• Input from school, via questionnaires or sometimes direct contact

A multidisciplinary team reviews the information and a diagnosis is either made or ruled out. You should receive a written report.

The diagnosis is a clinical decision, not a paper exercise. A child who masks well at school may not display autistic behaviour in a clinical setting; this is a known limitation of standard assessment tools, particularly for girls and children with higher support needs at home than at school. See autism in girls for more on this.

Can I use NHS Right to Choose for autism assessment?

Under the NHS Right to Choose (RTC) policy in England, patients have a legal right to choose their provider for elective referrals, including autism assessment. In practice this means you can ask your GP to refer you to an RTC-approved private provider rather than going to your local NHS service; the appointment is then funded by the NHS.

What this means in practice:

• You can look up approved RTC providers via NHS England or the National Autistic Society's resources
• The referral still starts with your GP; they must agree to refer
• Some GPs are unfamiliar with RTC and may push back; you can ask them to refer to a specific named provider
• Waiting times with RTC providers vary; some are significantly shorter than local NHS waits, others are comparable
• RTC does not apply to Scotland, Wales, or Northern Ireland, which have their own referral processes

The Right to Choose policy has expanded access meaningfully for families who know about it; many don't.

How does private autism assessment work?

Private autism assessment bypasses NHS waiting lists entirely. The cost varies significantly by provider and location; in London and the south-east, expect upwards of £1,500–2,500 for a child assessment, depending on the complexity of the profile and the number of sessions involved.

A private assessment produces a diagnostic report that is clinically valid and can be used to access school support, EHCP processes, and benefits. It does not give you any additional NHS rights; it's a diagnosis, not a referral into NHS services.

If you're considering private assessment, look for:

• A multidisciplinary team (psychologist plus speech and language therapist is a minimum for a robust assessment)
• Use of standardised tools (ADOS-2 and ADI-R are the current gold standard; the DISCO, developed at the Lorna Wing Centre, is particularly valued for complex presentations and girls)
• Explicit experience with the profile you're concerned about — girls, PDA profiles, later presentations

The Lorna Wing Centre for Autism, run by the National Autistic Society, specialises in complex and subtle presentations. For families in the south-east, it's one of the most respected specialist assessment services in the country.

How to get a GP referral for autism assessment

GPs vary in their familiarity with autism referral pathways. These framings are more effective than a general expression of concern.

For a child referral:

"I'd like to refer my child for an autism assessment. I'm seeing [specific list: emotional dysregulation, sensory difficulties, social communication differences, difficulty with transitions]. I'd like to use NHS Right to Choose and refer to [named provider] if possible."

If your GP is resistant:

"Autism is a protected characteristic under UK law and my child is entitled to an assessment if I have concerns. I'd like this referral documented in their notes."

For Scotland, Wales, and Northern Ireland, the process differs; check the NAS website for your nation's current pathway.

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This article is part of the Neuroequipped Autism guide. For what happens after diagnosis, see the EHCP hub. For PIP and financial support, see Autism and PIP. For autism in girls and missed diagnoses, see Autism in girls: why it looks different. For PDA profiles and assessment, see What is PDA?.

Neuroequipped provides research-grounded information for parents and educators. It is not medical advice. If you have concerns about your child, speak to your GP or paediatrician.