Autism: Overview of policy and services
This briefing provides an overview of policies and services for autistic people in England.

This briefing provides an overview of the Public Sector Equality Duty and related debate.
The Public Sector Equality Duty and Equality Impact Assessments (335 KB , PDF)
This briefing outlines the Public Sector Equality Duty contained in section 149 of the Equality Act 2010, which requires public authorities to have due regard to several equality considerations when exercising their functions.
Section 149 replaced pre-existing duties concerning race, disability and sex. It extended coverage to the additional “protected characteristics” of age, gender reassignment, religion or belief, pregnancy and maternity, sexual orientation and, in certain circumstances, marriage and civil partnership.
This briefing also provides an overview of Equality Impact Assessments. These are assessments that public authorities often carry out prior to implementing policies, with a view to predicting their impact on equality. The Equality Act 2010 does not specifically require them to be carried out, although they are a way of facilitating and evidencing compliance with the Public Sector Equality Duty.
The Public Sector Equality Duty and Equality Impact Assessments (335 KB , PDF)
This briefing provides an overview of policies and services for autistic people in England.
How common are mental health conditions? How long do people wait to access NHS therapy for depression and anxiety? Do statistics show that mental health services work for everyone? How much is spent on mental health services?
This briefing provides an overview of mental health policy in England.