Tim Nicholls, Assistant Director of Policy, Research and Strategy at the National Autistic Society, said: “Thousands of autistic people who rely on benefits to live their life will be really scared about what today's announcement will mean for them; especially the proposed changes making it harder to get PIP.

"The current system doesn’t work for autistic people, who are misunderstood during the assessment process and already face long delays when trying to access benefits. Restricting eligibility will make PIP assessments even more difficult, pushing more autistic people into poverty. This is a shameful decision.

"What about the support for autistic people on unemployment benefits? With only three in 10 autistic people in work, the Government’s priority should be the removal of extensive barriers to employment, not the safety net that autistic people rely on to survive. 

"We will work closely with the Government to make our views clear and will continue to do all we can to protect autistic people from these potentially devastating cuts."