How much does a private autism assessment cost?

NHS Autism Assessments

Autism assessments are crucial for diagnosing and providing appropriate support to children and young people who may be showing attributes of autism.  The NHS provides autism assessments, and a GP, a health visitor (for children under 5) or any other health professional you or your child see, such as doctor or therapist, or a SENCO, can make a referral for an assessment.

However, the waiting time for these assessments is long, typically taking many months or even years. The National Institute for Health and Care Excellence guidance states that no-one should wait longer than 13 weeks, but data shows that of those waiting for an assessment, 86% have been waiting longer than the recommended 13 weeks.

Private autism assessments

For those who want to avoid long waiting times, private assessments are a viable alternative. The cost of these assessments is not covered by the NHS and is generally not covered by private medical insurance.  

The fee for a private assessment varies but typically covers an initial consultation, detailed assessment, and a comprehensive assessment report.  

Private autism assessment costs

The cost of a private autism assessments varies depending on how comprehensive the assessment is, the number of clinicians involved in the assessment, and the location of the assessment centre. 

Our analysis indicates that the cost of a private autism assessment in London ranges between £1,950 and £3,299 with the average cost being £2,344.

Choosing a private autism assessment provider

When looking for a private autism assessment it is important to evaluate how thorough the assessment is, and to research and choose a quality provider to ensure an accurate and thorough assessment and diagnosis. Consider asking the following questions when making your decision:

• Does the assessment follow NICE guidance?
• What autism assessment tools are used e.g. the ADOS (Autism Diagnostic Observation Schedule); the ADI-R (Autism Diagnostic Interview – Revised) and 3Di (Developmental, Dimensional and Diagnostic Interview)?
• Is the assessment undertaken by a multi-disciplinary team (e.g. clinical psychologist, speech and language therapist, occupational therapist)?
• How detailed is the assessment report?
• Is there the option of a dual assessment for ADHD if this is suspected?
• For children of school age, will the assessment be accepted by your local authority?

Sometimes it may be necessary to have a more extensive assessment, especially if there are co-occurring conditions such as ADHD or cognitive learning difficulties. These assessments can be more costly due to the need for additional tests and specialist input.

At The Gesher Assessment Centre all our assessments follow NICE guidance and are undertaken by a multi-disciplinary team including a Clinical Psychologist, Occupational Therapist and Speech and Language Therapist. The cost of an autism assessment at The Gesher Assessment Centre is £2,200.

Citations: NHS data centre waiting times statistics