Autism | Housing

Supporting an autistic person

Autism is a lifelong difference in how people think, perceive the world, and interact with others. It is usually thought to be a neurodevelopmental condition.

An autistic person may see, hear, feel and experience the world differently from non-autistic people. If you are autistic, you are autistic for life; autism is not an illness or disease and cannot be ‘cured’. Often people feel being autistic is a fundamental and positive aspect of their identity.

Autism is not a single set of ‘symptoms’ or characteristics. Autistic people are very diverse and can be more different from each other in interests and skills than non-autistic people are. This is why autism is called a ‘spectrum’. It is often said that ‘if you’ve met one autistic person, you’ve met one autistic person’.

For example, some autistic people may frequently experience sensory over-stimulation, whilst others may need additional stimulation in their environment and seek out certain sensations.

There are some recommended adjustments which can be made to support autistic adults:

Modifications to physical space might include soft lighting or quiet spaces

Modifications to the process might include longer appointments or extra time before signing contracts

Modifications to the individual conditions might include offering flexible working or extended breaks

Accessible information and the provision of written instructions or in different formats (e.g. easy read, plain English, printed)

Using the preferred method of contact or adjusting appointments such as giving prior notice, flexible timings, or offering virtual appointments.

However, it is always important to ask what adjustments a tenant or household member might need and to be led by the individual rather than making assumptions about needs.