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Is autism a disability?

Deleted user
over 1 year ago

My council had autism on the application form and didn't specify it had to be a certain level in order to be registered disabled with them.

This site refers to autism as a developmental disability:

www.autism.org.uk/.../what-is-autism

This link regarding discrimination throws autism being classed generally (ie unqualified) as a disability into doubt.

I find this rather confusing:

https://www.citizensadvice.org.uk/law-and-courts/discrimination/check-if-youre-protected-from-discrimination/what-counts-as-disability/

'The definition is set out in section 6 of the Equality Act 2010. It says you’re disabled if:

  • you have a physical or mental impairment
  • that impairment has a substantial and long-term adverse effect on your ability to carry out normal day-to-day activities'

Is it a variable thing then according to what you are trying use the disability definition to achieve?

Is this because we are on a spectrum with varying degrees of functionality?

Parents
  • over 1 year ago

    After I was talking to you in the other thread I started reading up a bit and got equally confused. I think it depends on what you are applying for. There is a confusion around it for sure. But snippets like this…

    ‘Physical or mental impairment that has a substantial and long-term adverse effect on your ability to carry out normal day-to-day activities’

    Well there’s many thing I struggle with and can’t do because I am autistic. I can’t form friendships or go anywhere new by myself, I get incredibly stressed driving in new areas or if roads are closed or if I can’t park. So I don’t really live a normal life and shut myself away at home. 

    I also found this which I found interesting but I didn’t read the entire thing.

    https://www.england.nhs.uk/wp-content/uploads/2020/01/Learning-disability-and-autism.pdf

    And bear in mind I think quite recently autism was added to the list of reasons why people under 50 were eligible for getting a covid vaccine this year. 

    Basically I think things are changing, albeit slowly. It’s a hidden disability, like depression and anxiety. 

Reply
  • over 1 year ago

    After I was talking to you in the other thread I started reading up a bit and got equally confused. I think it depends on what you are applying for. There is a confusion around it for sure. But snippets like this…

    ‘Physical or mental impairment that has a substantial and long-term adverse effect on your ability to carry out normal day-to-day activities’

    Well there’s many thing I struggle with and can’t do because I am autistic. I can’t form friendships or go anywhere new by myself, I get incredibly stressed driving in new areas or if roads are closed or if I can’t park. So I don’t really live a normal life and shut myself away at home. 

    I also found this which I found interesting but I didn’t read the entire thing.

    https://www.england.nhs.uk/wp-content/uploads/2020/01/Learning-disability-and-autism.pdf

    And bear in mind I think quite recently autism was added to the list of reasons why people under 50 were eligible for getting a covid vaccine this year. 

    Basically I think things are changing, albeit slowly. It’s a hidden disability, like depression and anxiety. 

Children