The National Autism Society (NAS) has today responded to the chancellor’s Autumn Statement, highlighting serious concerns about the Government’s proposed future of social care.

The charity’s chief executive, Mark Lever, said he was disappointed that there was no mention of social care or disability benefits in Wednesday’s Statement.

He said the Government failed to address the planned reductions in the Employment and Support Allowance and Work Related Activity Group (ESA WRAG) benefit, as well as the chronic shortage in social care funding.

“ESA is a vital benefit for autistic people who are not able to work, covering basic living costs like food, heating and clothing,” he said.

“Planned cuts will see new claimants in the Work Related Activity Group of ESA, who have been found not yet ready for work, lose £30 per week from April.”

Despite reeling at the news, NAS welcomed a rise in the Living Wage to £7.50 per hour, and that the economy is forecast to create 500,000 new jobs over the next five years.

But there still remains an obvious concern. The autism employment gap has only grown in recent years, and NAS said it is vital that these jobs give autistic people the opportunities they need to get into work.

The latest figures show that just 16 per cent of autistic adults are in full-time work, while 32 per cent are in any kind of paid work at all, compared to 47 per cent of disabled people, and 80 per cent of non-disabled people.