Will the NHS recognise a private autism diagnosis?

NHS services should recognise a private diagnosis when the assessment follows NICE guidance, uses recognised diagnostic criteria, is carried out by registered clinicians and produces a full diagnostic report outlining the rationale for diagnosis. Our assessments are built to meet all four.

Can I share my report with my GP?

Yes. Your report belongs to you, and you can give your GP a copy and ask for the diagnosis to be added to your medical record. Having it on record can help when you ask for reasonable adjustments to appointments or are referred to other NHS services.

Will my child's school or nursery accept a private diagnosis?

A common misconception is that only NHS autism assessments will be accepted by schools. Both NHS and private services are expected to conduct autism assessments in accordance with recognised national standards. As long as you have chosen a reputable provider, a private autism diagnosis is as valid as an NHS diagnosis.

Can a private diagnosis be used for an EHCP or, in Wales, an IDP?

Yes, you may choose to use your private diagnostic report as evidence of your child’s special educational needs. In England, your report can be used to support a request for an Education, Health and Care Needs Assessment, and in Wales to support your request for an Individual Development Plan. The school or local authority must consider the report as part of their decision-making process.

Can I use a diagnosis for adjustments at work, college or university?

Yes. A diagnostic report is strong evidence when asking an employer, college or university for reasonable adjustments. Under the Equality Act 2010, you do not strictly need a diagnosis to be entitled to adjustments, but a clear report makes the conversation easier and explains what would help.

How quickly can I get an appointment?

You can expect your first appointment within 2–3 weeks of commissioning your assessment.

How long does the whole assessment take, from booking to report?

You can expect your assessment to be completed within 4–6 weeks of your first appointment. During this time, the two assessment sessions will be completed, a multi-disciplinary review of the evidence will be conducted, and your written report will be issued. Clients typically receive their report 1–2 weeks after their last session. Delivery times may be affected by your availability or if there are delays in third-party information being received (for example from school or other informants).

How does that compare with NHS waiting times?

NHS waiting times vary by area. In June 2026, NHS England reported 294,792 people with an open referral for suspected autism. Wales does not routinely report autism waiting time data. In many areas, NHS waiting times exceed 2 years; in England, 86.8% of referrals wait longer than the 13 weeks recommended by NICE. Some people choose the private autism assessment route to avoid lengthy waiting times.

How much does a private autism assessment with you cost?

The cost of an autism assessment with us ranges between £1995 and £2095, depending on whether you choose a fully online assessment or the in-person option. We only offer fully online assessments for those aged 10 and over. You can find out more here.

What is the cost of a combined autism and ADHD assessment?

The cost of a combined assessment with us ranges between £2995 and £3095, depending on whether you choose a fully online assessment or the in-person option. Children aged under 10 will need to be seen in person. You can find out more here.

Do you offer Right to Choose?

We do not offer Right to Choose assessments. We are a service for private clients, which allows us to offer short wait times.

Do you accept credit cards?

Yes, we work with our partner Stripe to process payments from both credit cards and debit cards.

Do you offer a payment plan?

You can pay for your assessment in stages, but we do not offer a monthly payment plan. You can find out more about this on our assessment cost page.

Do you accept private health insurance?

We work with a number of health insurance providers on a case-by-case basis. Please contact us to find out if we can accept your private insurance claim.

Who will carry out my assessment?

Your assessment is carried out by members of our multidisciplinary clinical team. The team includes clinical psychologists, speech and language therapists and specialist nurses. Two different clinicians lead your two appointments, and the information gathered is reviewed by a clinical team who will decide the assessment outcome. Every clinician is registered with the HCPC, NMC or GMC, holds DBS clearance and is trained in gold-standard assessment tools such as ADOS-2. A named assessment coordinator is your point of contact throughout.

How can I check a clinician is properly registered?

You can check any clinician yourself on the public registers: the Health and Care Professions Council (HCPC) register for psychologists and speech and language therapists, and the Nursing and Midwifery Council (NMC) register for nurses.

Do I need a referral from my GP?

No. You can contact us directly. You do not need a referral from a GP, school or any other professional.

What if no one who knew me as a child can take part?

We can still assess you. We use interview tools designed for adults without a childhood informant, and we can gather information from you directly or from a partner, close friend or family member who knows you well now.

What happens if the assessment does not lead to a diagnosis?

You still receive a full report outlining the information gathered and rationale for our findings. If we think your difficulties are stemming from a different condition or issue, we will advise you of this. Your report will also include recommendations. You will be able to talk the assessment outcome and recommendations through with a clinician at your feedback session. Many people find this just as useful, because it helps make sense of their experiences and points to the right support.

Frequently asked questions

Deciding on a private assessment raises practical questions, and you deserve straight answers before you commit to anything. Below, we explain how our assessments are recognised, how long they take, what they cost and who carries them out.

NHS, schools and recognition

Will the NHS recognise a private autism diagnosis?
NHS services should recognise a private diagnosis when the assessment follows NICE guidance, uses recognised diagnostic criteria, is carried out by registered clinicians and produces a full diagnostic report outlining the rationale for diagnosis. Our assessments are built to meet all four.
Can I share my report with my GP?
Yes. Your report belongs to you, and you can give your GP a copy and ask for the diagnosis to be added to your medical record. Having it on record can help when you ask for reasonable adjustments to appointments or are referred to other NHS services.
Will my child's school or nursery accept a private diagnosis?
A common misconception is that only NHS autism assessments will be accepted by schools. Both NHS and private services are expected to conduct autism assessments in accordance with recognised national standards. As long as you have chosen a reputable provider, a private autism diagnosis is as valid as an NHS diagnosis.
Can a private diagnosis be used for an EHCP or, in Wales, an IDP?
Yes, you may choose to use your private diagnostic report as evidence of your child’s special educational needs. In England, your report can be used to support a request for an Education, Health and Care Needs Assessment, and in Wales to support your request for an Individual Development Plan. The school or local authority must consider the report as part of their decision-making process.
Can I use a diagnosis for adjustments at work, college or university?
Yes. A diagnostic report is strong evidence when asking an employer, college or university for reasonable adjustments. Under the Equality Act 2010, you do not strictly need a diagnosis to be entitled to adjustments, but a clear report makes the conversation easier and explains what would help.

Timescales

How quickly can I get an appointment?
You can expect your first appointment within 2–3 weeks of commissioning your assessment.
How long does the whole assessment take, from booking to report?
You can expect your assessment to be completed within 4–6 weeks of your first appointment. During this time, the two assessment sessions will be completed, a multi-disciplinary review of the evidence will be conducted, and your written report will be issued.
Clients typically receive their report 1–2 weeks after their last session. Delivery times may be affected by your availability or if there are delays in third-party information being received (for example from school or other informants).
How does that compare with NHS waiting times?
NHS waiting times vary by area. In June 2026, NHS England reported 294,792 people with an open referral for suspected autism. Wales does not routinely report autism waiting time data. In many areas, NHS waiting times exceed 2 years; in England, 86.8% of referrals wait longer than the 13 weeks recommended by NICE. Some people choose the private autism assessment route to avoid lengthy waiting times.

Cost and payment options

How much does a private autism assessment with you cost?
The cost of an autism assessment with us ranges between £1995 and £2095, depending on whether you choose a fully online assessment or the in-person option. We only offer fully online assessments for those aged 10 and over. You can find out more here.
What is the cost of a combined autism and ADHD assessment?
The cost of a combined assessment with us ranges between £2995 and £3095, depending on whether you choose a fully online assessment or the in-person option. Children aged under 10 will need to be seen in person. You can find out more here.
Do you offer Right to Choose?
We do not offer Right to Choose assessments. We are a service for private clients, which allows us to offer short wait times.
Do you accept credit cards?
Yes, we work with our partner Stripe to process payments from both credit cards and debit cards.
Do you offer a payment plan?
You can pay for your assessment in stages, but we do not offer a monthly payment plan. You can find out more about this on our assessment cost page.
Do you accept private health insurance?
We work with a number of health insurance providers on a case-by-case basis. Please contact us to find out if we can accept your private insurance claim.

Who carries out the assessment

Who will carry out my assessment?
Your assessment is carried out by members of our multidisciplinary clinical team. The team includes clinical psychologists, speech and language therapists and specialist nurses. Two different clinicians lead your two appointments, and the information gathered is reviewed by a clinical team who will decide the assessment outcome.
Every clinician is registered with the HCPC, NMC or GMC, holds DBS clearance and is trained in gold-standard assessment tools such as ADOS-2. A named assessment coordinator is your point of contact throughout.
How can I check a clinician is properly registered?
You can check any clinician yourself on the public registers: the Health and Care Professions Council (HCPC) register for psychologists and speech and language therapists, and the Nursing and Midwifery Council (NMC) register for nurses.

Getting started

Do I need a referral from my GP?
No. You can contact us directly. You do not need a referral from a GP, school or any other professional.
What if no one who knew me as a child can take part?
We can still assess you. We use interview tools designed for adults without a childhood informant, and we can gather information from you directly or from a partner, close friend or family member who knows you well now.
What happens if the assessment does not lead to a diagnosis?
You still receive a full report outlining the information gathered and rationale for our findings. If we think your difficulties are stemming from a different condition or issue, we will advise you of this. Your report will also include recommendations. You will be able to talk the assessment outcome and recommendations through with a clinician at your feedback session. Many people find this just as useful, because it helps make sense of their experiences and points to the right support.