Don’t lose autism in the neurodiversity wave – why targeted reform is essential

When I chaired the independent Autism Employment Review in 2023–24, my objective was clear and deeply personal: to understand the persistent and troubling employment gap faced by autistic adults in the United Kingdom, and to propose reforms that would make a tangible difference.

Autistic people are often eager and able to work, possessing unique strengths and perspectives, yet they continue to encounter one of the largest employment gaps in the country. The review was not just an academic exercise; it was grounded in lived experience, informed by evidence, and designed to be practical and implementable.

Rt Hon Sir Robert Buckland KBE KC 

The central aim was to ensure that autistic individuals could access meaningful employment opportunities, gain independence, and contribute fully to society and
the economy. The resulting report contained nineteen evidence-based recommendations, each crafted to address specific barriers and promote real change.

Now, with the publication of the House of Lords Autism Act Committee report, titled Time to Deliver, in November 2025, we find ourselves at a pivotal moment. This new report provides an unprecedented opportunity to assess progress, scrutinise government action, and hold policymakers to account. Both the Autism Employment Review and the Lords Committee report diagnose persistent problems, but the latter adds a sense of urgency, highlighting widespread failures in implementation, the critical need for statutory leadership, and the importance of genuine co-production with autistic people. The message is clear: this is a moment to act decisively, not to delay or dilute efforts.

Targeted autism policy

Yet, I am increasingly concerned that the Government’s current approach, which frames policy around the broad concept of ‘neurodiversity’, risks losing sight of autism-specific needs. While neurodiversity awareness is valuable and has helped to challenge stigma, it cannot substitute for targeted autism policy. Adults with autism face distinct challenges that are not adequately addressed by generic neurodiversity initiatives.

Autism-specific solutions are not optional; they are essential for closing the employment gap and promoting social justice. Without a focused approach, there is a real danger that the very challenges documented in these reports will remain unaddressed, leaving autistic adults unsupported and excluded from the workforce.

The findings of the Autism Employment Review were extensive and detailed, identifying persistent barriers across five key areas. The first area is awareness and stigma. Despite some progress in recent years, many employers remain unaware of the barriers experienced by autistic people. This lack of understanding contributes to discrimination and missed opportunities, both for individuals and for businesses that could benefit from the unique talents of autistic employees.

My report recommended a comprehensive education campaign to challenge stereotypes, highlight the productivity and innovation benefits of neurodiverse teams, and showcase success stories. Such campaigns should be developed in partnership with autistic people, employers, and charities, using multimedia outreach and social media platforms to reach a wide audience.

My report endorsed the Neurodiversity Employers Index, published by Autistica, the UK’s leading autistic research charity, which provides an invaluable benchmark for employer performance and which should be promoted to encourage continuous improvement. Innovative inclusion schemes should be piloted with large employers, rigorously evaluated, and scaled nationally if successful. Professional development programmes for managers, HR personnel, and public-sector leaders should include autism awareness modules to embed inclusive practices at all levels.  This ‘universal by design’ approach is the best way forward.

The second area is preparation for work. Supported internships, apprenticeships, and early-career guidance are not sufficiently accessible or autism-aware. Too many autistic young people leave education without the skills, confidence, or support needed to enter meaningful employment. Expanding supported internships and flexible apprenticeships, and removing unnecessary barriers such as the requirement for Education, Health and Care (EHC) plans, would help more autistic young people transition into work.

Universal Support programmes should be tailored to meet autistic needs, including vocational skills training and supported employment pathways. Awareness and accessibility of the Access to Work scheme must be improved, with clear guidance and streamlined applications.

Pathways for self-employment and social enterprise, such as Community Interest Companies (CICs), should be promoted, with accessible support, mentorship, and financial guidance. Schools and colleges must be engaged proactively to prepare autistic students for work, including career fairs, workplace visits, and transition support.

Recruitment is the third area of concern. Traditional interviews and informal social cues can disadvantage autistic applicants, who may excel in structured work but struggle with conventional recruitment processes. Careers advisers should be trained to provide tailored guidance for autistic jobseekers, including preparation for interviews and understanding employer expectations.

We recommended that the Disability Confident scheme should be reformed to require demonstrable autism-friendly practices, linking accreditation to tangible outcomes. Alternative interview formats, practical assessments, and trial work placements should be encouraged. Recruitment agencies should be supported to remove barriers for autistic candidates and actively promote inclusive hiring practices. Collaboration with sector-specific employers, such as those in technology, finance, and public services, can help embed autism-friendly recruitment strategies across industries.

Supporting autistic people at work

Supporting employees in work is the fourth key area. Many workplaces lack autism-aware policies, sensory-friendly environments, or structured communication practices, which can lead to employee attrition and underperformance. Disability Confident leaders and CIPD guidance should be used to embed autism-aware practices across organisations. ‘Autism design guides’ should be produced, covering workplace layout, communication, and procedural adaptations.

Technology and adaptive tools, such as assistive software, structured project management tools, and communication platforms, can support autistic employees. Normalising adjustments, protecting privacy, and building supportive disclosure cultures are essential to ensure employees feel secure in requesting reasonable accommodations.

Mental health and wellbeing support should be embedded, recognising the sensory, social, and executive function challenges faced by autistic employees. Flexible working policies should be implemented, considering autistic employees’ needs around scheduling, environment, and workload.

Career progression is the fifth area. Autistic employees are often overlooked for promotion, mentoring, and professional development, perpetuating underrepresentation in senior roles and limiting economic independence. Employee resource groups and mentoring networks should be established to support autistic career development. Strength-based training can help autistic employees identify skills, address gaps, and plan career pathways aligned with individual strengths. Leadership development programmes tailored for autistic employees should be created, ensuring opportunities for advancement are equitable. Sponsorship and networking opportunities within organisations can enhance visibility and career mobility.

Governance and implementation are crucial to ensuring that these recommendations lead to real change. My report recommended that an independent, multidisciplinary task group with autistic representation should be established to oversee delivery. A ‘wave model’ should be implemented, piloting projects, evaluating them rigorously, and scaling successful practices nationally.

Evidence should be collected, outcomes monitored, and policy adjusted based on results, ensuring transparency and public accountability. Alignment with broader government strategies is important, but maintaining an autism-specific focus is essential to prevent dilution of resources and attention. These recommendations are specific, actionable, and grounded in evidence, offering a practical roadmap to improve autistic employment outcomes and embed inclusive practices in workplaces nationwide.

Lack of ministerial-level accountability

The House of Lords Autism Act Committee report, Time to Deliver, published in November 2025, complements and strengthens the recommendations of the Autism Employment Review. Its key findings include chronic under-delivery of autism-specific initiatives, despite the Autism Act 2009 and the 2021–26 strategy. Employment rates for autistic adults remain disproportionately low, and there is no ministerial-level accountability or coherent cross-government strategy to enforce delivery.

Autistic people are not consistently involved in policy design or evaluation, undermining the effectiveness of interventions. Insufficient autism-specific data hinders evidence-based policymaking, especially regarding employment, health, and educational outcomes. The Access to Work scheme remains slow, bureaucratic, and inconsistently applied, limiting access to reasonable adjustments. Poor public awareness and stigma persist, and there is no sustained national awareness campaign to reduce discrimination or promote understanding.

The Committee made clear recommendations to address these issues. Statutory duties under the Autism Act should be strengthened, with binding guidance for public bodies. Ministerial-level oversight of the national autism strategy is required. Co-production with autistic people must be ensured in all policy development. Autism-specific data should be collected, published, and used to measure outcomes.

Reform the Access to Work system

The Access to Work scheme should be reformed structurally to make it reliable, accessible, and fit for purpose. Procurement, public-sector leadership, and financial levers should be used to incentivise employer adoption of autism-inclusive practices. Post-diagnostic support should be improved, and waiting times for assessment reduced, ensuring timely access to employment-related guidance.

The alignment between my Autism Employment Review and the Lords Committee report is strong. Both emphasise the need for autism-specific barriers and adjustments, the importance of leadership and governance, and evidence-driven, accountable implementation.

Yet, the Government’s current framing risks shifting the focus from autism to a broader neurodiversity agenda. While neurodiversity awareness has value, it cannot substitute for targeted autism policy. Autistic people face unique challenges – sensory issues, social communication differences, and mental health vulnerabilities – which cannot be solved by generic neurodiversity initiatives.

Whilst the Labour Government has introduced reforms aimed (in part) at helping autistic people into work: more work coaches, expanded supported employment, autism training for DWP staff, and an expert neurodiversity panel, they are not entirely autism-specific, and some risk being under-resourced or delivered unevenly.

Such broad-brush approaches risk diluting resources, providing superficial training, weakening accountability, and failing to monitor autism-specific outcomes. Autism-specific policy is a moral, social, and economic imperative. Without focus, initiatives risk being symbolic rather than transformative, which is why autism advocacy groups remain right to press for more targeted, measurable, autism-specific reforms: particularly around Jobcentre accessibility, Access to Work speed and capacity, and employment support tailored to autistic needs.

Actionable agenda

Based on the combined recommendations of both reports, a clear and actionable agenda emerges, which I will outline here.

Firstly, a National Autism Employment Task Group should be established, independent and autism-led, accountable for delivery, with a mandate to report publicly on progress and outcomes. A sustained, evidence-based awareness campaign should be launched, highlighting autistic talent and countering misconceptions, with media, schools, and workplaces included in a coordinated approach.

The Access to Work scheme should be reformed to be faster and more predictable,
with standard adjustments rolled out nationally based on successful models and transparency in decision-making. Supported employment should be expanded, with national coverage of internships, apprenticeships, and job coaching, supported by sufficient funding and quality assurance.

Recruitment and workplace reform should include alternative assessments, clear communication, autism-friendly design, and embedding adjustments as standard practice.

Governance and accountability should be strengthened, with statutory guidance, measurable outcomes, regular reporting, and public transparency. Co-production should be ensured, with autistic people involved meaningfully at every stage, shaping policy, delivery, and evaluation.

Education and transition support should be improved, with schools and colleges preparing autistic students for employment through career guidance, work placements, and skills development. Post-diagnostic support should be timely, with follow-up services to facilitate employment readiness and ongoing workplace support.

The Autism Employment Review and the Lords Committee report provide a detailed blueprint for reform. They demonstrate that the barriers to autistic employment are not intractable; they can be addressed with leadership, funding, and targeted policy. The danger is clear: if autism is subsumed into a broad “neurodiversity” narrative, attention will be diluted, and adults who need specific support may continue to face systemic barriers.

Autistic adults have waited too long for meaningful reform. They have shared their experiences and expertise. Now they deserve action, accountability, and transformation. Implementing the combined recommendations faithfully can reduce the employment gap, create inclusive workplaces that value difference, and fulfil our moral and economic obligations. The time for words is over — the time for action is now.

The Rt Hon Sir Robert Buckland KBE KC practises in criminal and public law and has a particular expertise in reputation management issues. 
He was Lord Chancellor of Great Britain from 2019–21 and served as HM Solicitor General for nearly five years prior to that. He was Conservative MP for South Swindon from 2010–2024. Contact him at:
robertbuckland.co.uk
@RobertBuckland
The Buckland Review of Autism Employment: report and recommendations, can be found at:
gov.uk/government/publications/the-buckland-review-of-autism-employment-report-and-recommendations