Adult autism diagnosis costs

Specific disabilities and conditions
1

Hi
my partner has just received a referral from his GP with suspected ASD. He is 49 & has been experiencing symptoms for many years. He is diagnosed with dyslexia but suspects it is also ASD.

I have asked a few Private Specialists how much they charge for an assessment & diagnosis, with the costs ranging from £1250 to over £2000. Waiting times vary from August 2022 to early 2023.

I was wondering if these are the average costs & timings or if there is a more affordable way of getting a diagnosis? He is currently very stressed by the whole process so unfortunately a long wait on the NHS is not an option at present.

Any advice/tips gratefully echatspin received!

Many thanks

2

Hi & Welcome Kevin

These links maybe worth a try …

That does sound a lot of money to pay out and there may well be quite a few assessments needed.

Is your partner wanting the diagnosis for certain reasons or just wants to know for his peace of mind. Is your partner able to work or is effected on a daily basis. You don’t need a diagnosis for benefits although it’s helpful.

3

I didn’t know you didn’t need a diagnosis for benefits.

My daughter was diagnosed as an adult but that was through the LD Team and was free. I think we waited just a few months.

I think some charities will help out with getting a diagnosis but there may be a long wait.

My niece had her little boy diagnosed a couple of years ago and in all it cost her about £2K.

4

There’s no actual need for a diagnosis to get PIP or any other benefits, but it always helps to have confirmation - it’s harder to argue with.

5

Example: long Covid can be undiagnosed related issues you just need to state

How you are feeling and the impact on your daily living. Not able to complete everyday tasks without severe tiredness and unable to focus. Obliviously, a person would have needed to be in regular contact with their G.P. and hospital consultant etc. And provide evidence over a period of time. That does sound simplistic in reality and could take months to collate information.

The are many adults and children who suffer from an undiagnosed illness a syndrome without a name. Evidence again would be required to back up the application.

From the web site

Claiming without a diagnosis
The position with PIP is different; the law says that you don’t even have to have a medical diagnosis. With the appeal I was preparing yesterday, the consultant uses the phrase ‘medically unexplained’. Claiming PIP without a diagnosis can be challenging as I would expect a reluctance on the part of the assessor, Decision maker, and quite possibly a tribunal, to accept what you are saying; people like labels. The fact is though that the law says that no diagnosis is needed, so you just need to know where to look for this when it comes to an appeal.