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Assessment routes explained

NHS, Right to Choose, or Private?

Three honest ways to get an autism assessment in the UK. None is 'better' — the right one depends on where you live, how long you can realistically wait, and what you can afford.

A diagnosis from any of these three routes is equally valid for schools, EHCPs, DLA and SEN support. The difference is cost, waiting time, and how easy it is to access from where you live.

NHS Assessment

Every child in the UK is eligible.

What to realistically expect

GP referral → triage → first appointment (history) → school/nursery observations → multidisciplinary discussion → diagnostic report. Some areas split this across 12+ months even after you reach the top of the list.

Pros

  • +Free at the point of use.
  • +Diagnosis is universally accepted by schools, local authorities, DLA and EHCP processes.
  • +Multidisciplinary — usually paediatrician plus SLT and sometimes OT.

Things to weigh up

  • −Waiting lists are very long in most areas — often 18 months to 3+ years.
  • −Communication during the wait is usually limited.
  • −You cannot choose the assessing team.

Right to Choose (RTC)

Children registered with an NHS GP in England. Not available in Scotland, Wales or NI.

What to realistically expect

Choose a provider (e.g. Problem Shared, Healios, ProblemShared, Psicon) → ask your GP to refer under Right to Choose → provider contacts you → questionnaires for parents and school → online observation/interview → report.

Pros

  • +Still NHS-funded — your child is not paying for a private diagnosis.
  • +Dramatically shorter waits than most local CAMHS/community paediatric teams.
  • +Assessing teams are CQC-registered and recognised by the NHS.
  • +Diagnosis carries the same weight as a local NHS one for school, DLA and EHCP.

Things to weigh up

  • −Your GP may not know the process and may need a polite, prepared script.
  • −Some Integrated Care Boards (ICBs) try to refuse or delay — you may need to push back in writing.
  • −Most providers are remote (video calls) which suits some children and not others.

Private Assessment

Anyone who can afford it, anywhere in the UK.

What to realistically expect

Direct booking → parent and school questionnaires → ADOS-2 or similar standardised assessment → developmental interview → written report, usually within 2–4 weeks of the assessment day.

Pros

  • +Fastest option.
  • +You choose the clinician.
  • +Useful if you want a second opinion after an inconclusive NHS assessment.

Things to weigh up

  • −Cost is significant and not refundable.
  • −Some local authorities are slower to act on private reports for EHCP purposes (they cannot legally refuse, but it can add friction).
  • −Quality varies — always check the clinician is a Chartered/HCPC-registered Psychologist or a Consultant Paediatrician with autism specialism.

A note on Right to Choose

Right to Choose is a legal right in England for most NHS mental health and community paediatric referrals. If your GP says they can't or won't refer, ask politely for the refusal in writing — most GPs will then refer rather than create a paper trail. The wait time difference is often the difference between an assessment this year and an assessment in 2028.

Honest reality

Many parents end up using more than one route — for example, requesting an NHS referral to stay on that list, requesting Right to Choose at the same time, and considering private only if both stall. Doing this is allowed.

Read next

What to read next

Calm, ordered next steps. Pick the one closest to where you are right now.