Criteria for getting funding for diagnosis

I'm in the UK. 2 years ago I went to see my GP completely desperate because I was fed up with upsetting people, not fitting in and being just different from others, a friend of mine who knows me well and actually has stood by me for a long time said he thought i was autistic. So I did 87 tests and I got at least 85% in all of them (I've got a chart somewhere). I bore people to tears with details on Computers, Music, and whatever my current obsession is.

I remember watching Autistic people on youtube talking and thinking THAT IS LITERALLY ME. So when I went to the GP she said she thought I was definitly Autistic and in fact having spoken to other medical professionals who know me they think the same.

But getting a diagnosis? 2 years I've been waiting, I had to complete a huge questionnaire thing which was quite annoying as there were at least 2 spelling mistakes. However, I've heard nothing. Since then changed GP's. THen covid came along and that was the end of that.

Been feeling pretty low about it actually now. I've started doing an Autism course with the Open University, I'm starting to think perhaps the only way to get a diagnosis is to either pay a lot of money or to just get qualified myself.

I don't know if that's helpful but it does get me down.

That's horrendous that you've had to wait so long and then things have just stopped happening. Have you chivvied up your new GP to find out what's happening? If they're not prepared to chase it up for you then I'd see another GP. It could be that the assessment services are just super busy (apparently there's been a sharp increase in adults seeking assessments recently), or you could have got lost in the system, either way you need to find out because if it's the latter, you'll have to be re-referred, which will be a pain but at least something would be happening. Getting qualified in order to get an assessment seems a bit extreme, and I'm not sure that one can diagnose oneself, though of course, you'll make contacts who could be useful in getting you assessed. I suppose it's one way to do it. Lol! It is something you've thought of as a career in the past? It IS expensive going the private route, and there are pros and cons (some employers, some DWP departments, some education facilities etc, won't accept a private diagnosis, though some do) but there are pros and cons to an NHS assessment too. If you have the money available, it's an option to possibly consider if you don't get any immediate luck with your GP. 

That's horrendous that you've had to wait so long and then things have just stopped happening. Have you chivvied up your new GP to find out what's happening? If they're not prepared to chase it up for you then I'd see another GP. It could be that the assessment services are just super busy (apparently there's been a sharp increase in adults seeking assessments recently), or you could have got lost in the system, either way you need to find out because if it's the latter, you'll have to be re-referred, which will be a pain but at least something would be happening. Getting qualified in order to get an assessment seems a bit extreme, and I'm not sure that one can diagnose oneself, though of course, you'll make contacts who could be useful in getting you assessed. I suppose it's one way to do it. Lol! It is something you've thought of as a career in the past? It IS expensive going the private route, and there are pros and cons (some employers, some DWP departments, some education facilities etc, won't accept a private diagnosis, though some do) but there are pros and cons to an NHS assessment too. If you have the money available, it's an option to possibly consider if you don't get any immediate luck with your GP.