A recent groundbreaking study reveals that systemic barriers within the UK’s National Health Service (NHS) are severely impeding access to crucial mental health support for autistic individuals during suicidal crises, resulting in missed life-saving interventions. Despite the alarming prevalence of mental health challenges and increased suicide risk in this population, many autistic adults find themselves unable or unwilling to engage with public healthcare services when they need it most.
Autistic people confront disproportionately poor outcomes in both mental and physical health, with life expectancy consistently falling short of that observed in the non-autistic population. Suicide rates among autistic adults are notably elevated, with emerging data estimating that approximately one in three individuals on the autism spectrum has contemplated suicide, and nearly one in four has made a suicide attempt. These statistics highlight an urgent need for tailored health interventions and systemic reform that addresses the unique vulnerabilities and care needs of this group.
The study, conducted by researchers at the University of Cambridge and Bournemouth University and published in the esteemed journal Autism, analyzed survey responses from over one thousand autistic adults across the UK. Astonishingly, only one in four participants reported seeking NHS support during their most recent experience of suicidal ideation or behavior. This low rate of engagement underscores significant gaps in service accessibility and compatibility with autistic people’s specific requirements during mental health emergencies.
Among those who refrained from accessing NHS services, pervasive doubts about the healthcare system’s ability to provide meaningful support were prominent. Nearly half (48%) believed that the NHS could not help them effectively, while 54% tried to manage their distress in isolation without seeking formal help. Furthermore, 43% were deterred by the lengthy waiting times characteristic of mental health services, a structural issue that disproportionately affects crisis interventions where immediacy is critical.
Participants’ narratives underscored a perception of NHS mental health services as poorly adapted to autistic individuals. Many described available provisions as inadequate or unsuitable for their needs, highlighting a systemic failure to offer autism-informed care. Negative prior interactions with the health system were reported by more than a third of respondents, with explicit mentions of dismissive attitudes, insufficient autism awareness among clinicians, and suboptimal communication strategies exacerbating distress rather than alleviating it.
A particularly distressing finding is that 12% of participants who sought help reported being actively turned away or having referrals rejected, reflecting acute instances of gatekeeping in a domain where timely intervention can be lifesaving. Additionally, 25% feared adverse outcomes such as involuntary psychiatric hospitalization (commonly known as being “sectioned”), contributing to reluctance in seeking assistance. Practical challenges, including difficulties arranging GP appointments, further compounded barriers to accessing support.
The study also sheds light on intersectional disparities within the autistic community: cisgender women and transgender or gender-divergent individuals experienced more negative encounters with mental health services. Transgender and gender-divergent autistic participants expressed heightened concerns about not being believed by healthcare staff, exacerbating an already traumatic threshold for accessing care. This intersectional lens is vital in understanding and dismantling layered obstacles faced by marginalized subgroups.
Dr Tanya Procyshyn, co-lead author from the Autism Research Centre at Cambridge, emphasized the broader implications of these findings. She noted that autistic individuals do seek help when in crisis but are frequently thwarted by an inaccessible system that is perceived as not only unhelpful but sometimes harmful. Without urgent, evidence-based transformation, including introducing tailored, autism-specific mental health services, preventable deaths will continue to escalate.
The UK Government’s 2023 Suicide Prevention Strategy has recognized autistic people as a high-risk group, a welcome policy acknowledgment reflecting increasing awareness of this crisis. However, the study’s authors caution that policy declarations must translate into concrete, co-designed service innovations. Recommended reforms include mandatory autism-informed training for healthcare professionals, alternatives to phone-based appointment scheduling that better suit autistic communication preferences, and flexible mental health service models adapted to the autistic experience.
Dr Rachel Moseley, co-lead from Bournemouth University’s Department of Psychology, stressed that one root cause of these systemic shortcomings is the insufficient training healthcare practitioners currently receive regarding autism. Their research demonstrates that frontline clinicians often overlook key signs of suicidality in autistic patients or respond in ways that compound distress. Addressing these deficits through enhanced professional education is critical for improving healthcare engagement and outcomes for autistic individuals.
Professor Sir Simon Baron-Cohen, a senior author on the paper and Director of the Autism Research Centre, highlighted the scale and urgency of the crisis, describing the prevalence of suicidal planning or attempts by autistic adults as “unacceptably high.” He called for a substantial increase in financial and operational resources aimed at mental health services tailored to the autism community, warning that delays in implementing essential reforms may result in further preventable tragedies.
The initiation of this research by the charity Autism Action reflects a growing movement to confront and reduce the disproportionate suicide rates among autistic people. Tom Purser, CEO of Autism Action, criticized the NHS for failing autistic people at critical moments of need, citing inaccessible systems, limited awareness, and attitudinal barriers within healthcare settings. He insists that the Government must now act decisively to create a health system that can truly offer timely, effective support for autistic individuals at risk.
This study aligns with findings from the recently published Learning from Lives and Deaths report, which highlighted the devastating impact of inadequate access to appropriately tailored support for both autistic people and those with learning disabilities—a factor that significantly contributes to premature mortality. Taken together, these insights make a compelling case for systemic reform grounded in lived experience and rigorous research evidence.
In terms of immediate help, autistic individuals in the UK and Ireland facing suicidal crisis are encouraged to reach out to organizations such as Samaritans via freephone 116 123 or email jo@samaritans.org, and PAPYRUS HOPELINE247 at 0800 068 4141 or text 88247. The availability of such lifelines underscores the critical importance of accessible, understanding, and responsive support systems to stem the tide of loss in this vulnerable population.
In conclusion, this vital research uncovers how entrenched structural, attitudinal, and procedural barriers within NHS mental health services collectively undermine the ability of autistic adults to access life-saving support during suicidal crises. Urgent reforms, co-designed with autistic communities and backed by substantial investment and training, are essential to reshape mental health care landscapes to be inclusive, empathetic, and effective. Such transformations bear the potential not only to save lives but to restore trust and dignity to autistic individuals seeking help at their most vulnerable times.
Subject of Research: People
Article Title: ‘I did not think they could help me’: Autistic adults’ reasons for not seeking public healthcare when they last experienced suicidality
News Publication Date: 15-Sep-2025
References:
‘I did not think they could help me’: Autistic adults’ reasons for not seeking public healthcare when they last experienced suicidality. Autism; 15 Sept 2025
Keywords: Autism, Suicide, Health care
