Information and advice

The National Autistic Society’s Autism Helpline provides confidential and impartial advice to people with autism, families, professionals, researchers and students. Helpline advisers are able to talk about autism and related issues, including benefits and help from social services, in depth. So, if you need to talk about a problem you are having with the benefits system, please call on 0845 070 4004 (Monday to Friday, 10am to 4pm) or visit our website.

The Autism Helpline can also arrange a telephone appointment for you with our Welfare Rights Service, which can provide advice on and support with all aspects of benefit entitlement. This includes advice on which benefits you may be entitled to, general advice on completing claim forms, what to do if you think a decision is wrong, and how to appeal to a tribunal.

If you have had a medical assessment for Employment and Support Allowance and would like to complain about the outcome, you can do this by writing to: Customer Relations Manager, Atos Healthcare, Block 1, Wing G, Government Buildings, Otley Road, Lawnswood, Leeds LS16 5PU.

The National Autistic Society also runs employment services for people with autism in some parts of the UK. For more information, please visit www.autism.org.uk/employment, or call the Autism Helpline on 0845 070 4004.

You can download a copy of our recent supplement, Working through the maze, which offers advice on the range of benefits available to people with autism. You can also find a wide range of information on and advice about benefits on our website. Use our website to:

• find out what benefits you are entitled to
  
• find out more about Employment and Support Allowance, including information in easy read
  
• find out how to challenge a decision that has been made about your benefits, if you are unhappy with the decision
  
• get any extra help you might need to make sure the right decision is made for you (this is called advocacy).

The National Autistic Society have recently developed two new resources - a website (www.managingmoney.org.uk) and a workbook (available to order for free from www.autism.org.uk/shop) to help people on the autism spectrum learn about managing their money. Both are funded by the Consumer Financial Education Body (CFEB), as part of the National Strategy for Financial Capability.

If you are an employer, you can also use our website to get more information about employing people with autism.