Illustrative example · not a real person
A woman in her 40s: after years of wondering
An adult who had wondered for years, with no parent able to describe her early childhood.
Autism assessment · adults
Adult autism assessment
including late identification
Oakwell’s adult autism assessment is for adults who want to understand themselves better, including people who have wondered for years. It includes a developmental history (ADI-R), ideally with someone who knew you growing up, and a structured observation session using the ADOS-2, usually by secure video. It costs £1,999, with no VAT payable, and no referral is needed.
Who this page is for: adults who have wondered whether they might be autistic, whenever that started.
What do autistic adults often notice?
Autism shows up differently in every person, and many adults only start to wonder later in life. These are some of the differences the NHS describes in adults:
- finding it hard to understand facial expressions, gestures or tone of voice
- taking things literally, and finding phrases such as “it’s a piece of cake” hard to follow
- being very sensitive, or not sensitive at all, to light, sounds, smells, tastes or textures
- repetitive movements, sometimes called stimming, such as rocking or flicking your fingers
- finding it hard to talk to other people
You don’t need to recognise all of these, or be sure, to get in touch. The initial consultation is there to work out together whether an assessment is right for you.
Is it worth being assessed as an adult?
That’s your decision, and there’s no wrong answer. Some people want to make sense of past experiences, some want words for how they think and feel, and some want a report they can choose to share, for example to support a conversation about adjustments at work or in study.
Some people first wonder whether they’re autistic in midlife or later, after burnout, a change in their life, or a child or relative being assessed. It’s never too late to ask the question.
Why are women often identified later?
The National Autistic Society says that many autistic women and girls struggle to get a diagnosis, are diagnosed late in life, or are misdiagnosed with other conditions. One reason is that women and girls are more likely to mask, or camouflage, their differences.
The National Autistic Society also says clinicians should be aware that some autistic people mask during the diagnostic process. So we ask about your whole life, not only how you come across in one session.
What do masking and burnout mean?
Masking is a strategy some autistic people use, consciously or unconsciously, to appear non-autistic: for example forcing eye contact, preparing scripts for conversations, or hiding stimming. The NHS says masking can make everyday activities and social interactions feel exhausting and stressful.
The National Autistic Society describes autistic burnout as chronic exhaustion, loss of skills and reduced tolerance to stimulus, and says masking can lead to it. Burnout isn’t something we treat, but if it’s part of your story, it helps us to know. If you’re struggling right now, a mental health assessment may be a better first step, and our urgent help page lists who to contact.
What’s included in an adult assessment?
Everything below is included in the £1,999 fee, whatever the outcome.
- Initial consultation
- Developmental history session (ADI-R), up to 2 hours
- Structured observation session using the ADOS-2, around 45 minutes to an hour
- Multidisciplinary team review: the whole team reviews each case together
- Feedback appointment
- Comprehensive written report, usually within 4 weeks of the feedback appointment
- A follow-up call (30 to 45 minutes, video or phone) within 6 weeks of your report
- Report amendments and extra letters
- Signposting to local support, whatever the outcome
- Questionnaire pack, including a self-report questionnaire
Compare what the adult assessment costs, or read how long each step takes.
What if no one can tell us about your childhood?
For children, a parent or carer gives the developmental history, and school completes a short questionnaire. Adults bring, where possible, someone who knew them well growing up, and optionally a partner. If nobody is available, we agree other ways to gather the same information.
A gap in your early history doesn’t stop you being assessed. CHECK: which other ways, for example school reports or your own recollections (§1)
Our guide explains why we ask about early childhood, and what happens if nobody remembers.
What happens in the sessions?
The developmental history session (ADI-R) is online and takes up to 2 hours. The observation session (ADOS-2) takes about 45 minutes to an hour, usually by secure video from your own home, and is mostly conversation. There are no right or wrong answers, and you can ask for a break at any time.
Then the whole team reviews your case together, and we explain the outcome at a feedback appointment, in plain language, with time for your questions. CHECK: reminders and written summaries offered? (§1)
Do I have to tell my employer or university?
No. Adults may choose to share their report with an employer or university to support conversations about reasonable adjustments. Whether you do is entirely up to you, and we won’t share your report with an employer or university without your consent.
GOV.UK explains how reasonable adjustments at work work, and the Access to Work scheme. Students can read about Disabled Students’ Allowance. Each has its own rules, so check the details on GOV.UK.
What if the outcome isn’t autism?
An assessment is never a dead end. You’ll get clear, honest feedback about what we found and why, with recommendations and signposting to the support most likely to help.
That might be a mental health assessment with Hans, support through your GP, or an assessment with another provider, for example for ADHD, which Oakwell doesn’t assess.
How does this compare with the NHS route?
You can speak to your GP to find out how to get an NHS adult autism assessment in your area. Waiting times vary. Oakwell is a private, self-funded service: you can contact us directly, and you can still ask your GP about NHS options at the same time.
Oakwell isn’t an NHS Right to Choose provider, so we can’t take NHS-funded referrals.
What can it look like?
Illustrative example · not a real person
A man in his 30s: when the outcome wasn’t autism
An adult whose assessment didn’t lead to an autism diagnosis, and why it still helped.
Questions adults ask
Can I be assessed for autism if I’m over 40?
Yes. Our adult autism assessment is for adults, and you don’t need to have been assessed as a child. Some people first wonder whether they’re autistic in midlife or later, for example after burnout, or after a child or relative has been assessed. If nobody who knew you as a child can take part, we agree other ways to gather your early history. CHECK: confirm there is no upper age limit
Do you still diagnose Asperger’s syndrome?
No one does now: Asperger’s syndrome is no longer diagnosed as a separate condition. Since DSM-5 (2013), and in ICD-11, it has been part of autism, so an assessment today looks at autism as a whole. If you were diagnosed with Asperger’s in the past, you can keep using the term if it feels right to you.
Is there an autism test?
There’s no single test for autism. An autism assessment brings together a developmental history (the ADI-R), a structured observation session using the ADOS-2, questionnaires from you and, for children, school, and the team’s clinical judgement against the DSM-5 criteria. That’s why it takes several sessions rather than one test, and why the whole team reviews each case together.
What if there’s no one who knew me as a child?
You can still be assessed. Where possible, someone who knew you well growing up takes part in the developmental history, and a partner can join too. If nobody is available, we agree other ways to gather the same information with you, so a gap in your early history doesn’t stop you being assessed. CHECK: which other ways, for example school reports or your own recollections (§1)
Who gets the report?
The report is sent to you, or for a child, to their parent or carer. You decide who else sees it, such as school, your GP or an employer, and we won’t share it with an employer, school or university without your consent. CHECK: does Oakwell send a copy to the GP or the referrer, with consent? (§6.8)
Do I have to tell my employer?
No. Whether you share your assessment with an employer, university or anyone else is your choice. Some people share their report to support a conversation about reasonable adjustments at work or in study, and some don’t share it at all. GOV.UK explains reasonable adjustments and the Access to Work scheme, if you decide to look into them.
Guides for adults
Guide
Being assessed for autism as an adult
8 min read
Guide
What is the ADI-R, and why do we ask about early childhood?
7 min read
Areas we cover
Autism assessments are online; home visits are for the mental health assessment, across these areas and surrounding areas. CHECK: is the online autism assessment offered UK-wide? (§1)
The journey
Every step of the assessmentChildren
Assessment for children and teenagersTeam
Who will assess you
Been wondering for a while? Talk it through with us.
No referral needed. Prefer not to phone? Email or use the form. That’s completely fine.