The latest monthly Assuring Transformation NHS Digital data shows that in April 2025: 

• 2,025 autistic people and people with a learning disability are in mental health hospitals in England. Of these, 1,455 (72%) are autistic.
• There are 240 under 18s in inpatient units that are autistic or have a learning disability. Of these, 230 (96%) are autistic.
• The number of autistic people without a learning disability detained in mental health hospitals has increased by 141% since 2015.

This is the most up-to-date record of how many autistic people and people with a learning disability are currently in mental health hospitals in England. 

Despite some progress moving people with a learning disability out of hospital and into the community, the number of autistic people detained has increased. In 2015, autistic people made up 38% of the total number in hospital, now it is 72%.

Do autistic people need to be in inpatient units and why do they get ‘stuck’ there?

It is widely recognised that for most autistic people, care in an inpatient unit is rarely helpful – in fact, it can be deeply damaging. 

The average length of stay is around 4.6 years and we continue to hear alarming cases of overmedication, seclusion, and unnecessary restraint.

The overwhelming majority (92%) of autistic people and people with a learning disability who are detained in hospital are put there using the Mental Health Act 1983. We and hundreds of thousands of campaigners have been calling for changes to mental health law for years, so it respects autistic people’s rights.

In 2022, a draft bill to reform the Mental Health Act was published which could stop people being detained for treatment just because they’re autistic. This was a significant step, but there were delays in bringing the Bill forward.

In November 2024 the Mental Health Bill was finally introduced to Parliament. It is now going through the Parliamentary process where it can be scrutinized and strengthened.    

An opportunity to end this scandal

The Mental Health Bill presents an opportunity to end this human rights scandal, and put right a history of broken promises.

In 2011, shocking abuse was uncovered at Winterbourne View Hospital, an inpatient unit for people with learning disabilities. This scandal led to acknowledgement that there is a significant number of autistic people and people with a learning disability inappropriately detained – largely because community services to support them simply do not exist. 

Several targets have since been set which have not been met. The Transforming Care programme aimed to close up to half of inpatient mental health beds and move people back to the community by 1 June 2014. This did not happen.

The 2019 NHS Long-Term Plan committed to halving the number of autistic people and people with a learning disability detained from 2015 levels by March 2024. This target was reaffirmed in the former government’s 2022 Building the Right Support Action Plan, but was missed by a substantial margin – largely driven by the increase in autistic people detained.

What is the National Autistic Society doing?

Alongside autistic people and families, we have been highlighting these injustices and campaigning for better services in the community. 

In 2022 we presented evidence to the Joint Committee on the Draft Mental Health Bill, emphasising how important it is to reform mental health and social care services.

In 2023, we launched our Time to Act campaign in collaboration with Mencap, calling for the Bill to urgently be brought forward. Our open letter to Rishi Sunak received 18,324 signatures. 

With the Mental Health Bill introduced, we are now focusing on making sure the final Bill works for autistic people. The Bill must be strengthened by:  

• Closing inappropriate alternative routes to detention
• Enhancing duties to provide adequate support for autistic people in the community
• Improving reviews, processes, and protections for autistic patients
• Ensuring treatment is always therapeutically beneficial 

The Bill must be passed and implemented as soon as possible. However, the Government has said it will not commence vital changes until it is satisfied there is strong support in the community. We are calling on the Government to urgently publish a comprehensive and fully-costed plan for how it intends to build this support. 

We will continue to meet with MPs and Peers, ask important questions in Parliament, and demand the Government ends the scandal of autistic people being wrongly held in mental health hospitals.

Further information

• Read our news story on the Joint Committee’s report on the Government’s Draft Mental Health Bill
• Read our new story on the Mental Health Bill being introduced to Parliament
• Read our news story on ‘one year on’ since the NHS Long Term Plan target was missed
• Read Alexis’ story about being “locked inside” various mental health hospitals for three years
• Read our information, advice and guidance about autism and mental health