I am seeking advice and help for my brother, who is currently living with me. I am unsure what is the best type of support he needs at this time.
For some background, He is 22 years old with a diagnosis of autism and has recently been sectioned under mental health 3 times within 2025 including one stay of 3 months. He has a history of drug misuse.
He has recently as of 31st December, been arrested for buying illegal chemical substances in which resulted in a house raid of my home. He is currently on bail with no charge until 31st March 2026 whilst they look further into evidence. The officer told me he has been referred to his GP as a vulnerable person but I am unsure what this entails for support.
Lewis is a very smart and clever young man, in which I think he doesn’t realise the consequences of some of the things he likes doing. He often tells me “no one knows what it feels like to be me”.
Before he was sectioned in 2025, he has a stable job working at EVRI warehouse in which he went from temp agency to permanent staff and was on the path to progress. He was living in London with my father after our mum passed away in 2023. Lewis expresses interest to work again but lacks the motivation to apply in which that means I have to make sure we are sending lots of applications off together.
He is quite independent in terms of that he can cook, clean, shower himself. Although his routine is not regular and will often not shower until reminded (can go days without showering) so lacks the understanding of basic hygiene. He will also eat irregular meals sometimes not eating for a day. His main signs of autism are no eye contact, 2 minutes or so to process a question, the food preferences (no wet food, everything cooked very thoroughly to be almost burnt).
I am in process of signing him up for some local social clubs for people with autism which includes gaming; swimming and football.
I really don’t know what his future holds and I am really seeking help as I am at wits end to support him.
