![A bench beside a long garden path, with the far end lost in mist and a smaller path leading off to a sheltered clearing](https://viacara.com/img/content/nd-waiting-feature-light.webp) # Therapy While You Wait for an Assessment Autism and ADHD assessment waits in England now run into years. You do not have to wait for a diagnosis before you get support. ## The wait is as *bad* as you think it is You are probably not imagining it, and you are certainly not an unusual case. In June 2026 there were 294,792 people in England with an open referral for suspected autism. Of those, 256,017 had a referral that had been open for at least 13 weeks. That is 86.8 per cent of everybody waiting. The recommended window is three months. It is a NICE quality standard: an assessment should start within three months of referral. In June 2026, 3.8 per cent of those referrals had a first appointment inside that window. ADHD is larger again. As at March 2026, as many as 803,658 open referrals in England may have been for an ADHD assessment. The House of Commons Library has looked at that waiting list. At the end of August 2026 it reported 56.3 per cent of adults waiting more than a year. None of this is your fault, and none of it says anything about whether your difficulties are real. Sources: [NHS England Digital: autism stats](https://viacara.com/support/neurodivergence/waiting-for-assessment/#ref-3), [NICE QS51](https://viacara.com/support/neurodivergence/waiting-for-assessment/#ref-6), [NHS England Digital: ADHD MI](https://viacara.com/support/neurodivergence/waiting-for-assessment/#ref-4), [Commons Library CBP-10551](https://viacara.com/support/neurodivergence/waiting-for-assessment/#ref-5) ## You do not have to wait to be *supported* The NHS Talking Therapies manual states it plainly: > Neither a diagnosis of autism nor awaiting an autism assessment should prevent people from receiving treatment in NHS Talking Therapies services. NHS England's guidance for mental health services says the same. Its scope covers "adults who may be autistic but who do not have a formal clinical diagnosis". The NHS website is blunter still. On talking therapies it says: "You do not need to have a diagnosed mental health condition". You can refer yourself for anxiety or depression without going through a GP first. You do need to be registered with a GP. You must also be 18 or over, or 16 in some areas. Sources: [NHS England: talking therapies manual](https://viacara.com/support/neurodivergence/waiting-for-assessment/#ref-1), [NHS England B1800](https://viacara.com/support/neurodivergence/waiting-for-assessment/#ref-2), [NHS: talking therapies overview](https://viacara.com/support/neurodivergence/waiting-for-assessment/#ref-8) ![A lavender armchair under a tree with an open book and hot drink, a brick arch onto the misty path](https://viacara.com/img/content/nd-waiting-mid-light.webp) The wait is real. It does not have to be empty. ## What therapy can do *before* an assessment An assessment answers one question. It does not do anything about the rest. A professional cannot diagnose you and should not pretend to. What they can work on is everything that has grown around the difficulty while you waited. That usually means the exhaustion, the shame and the jobs that did not work out. It also means the sense of failing at something everyone else finds easy. If the exhaustion has tipped into something deeper, [autistic burnout](https://viacara.com/support/neurodivergence/masking/masking-burnout-and-identity/) is described on its own page. Many people find that the most useful work happens before a diagnosis rather than after it. Understanding how you function is not something you need permission for. ## If you are worried about being turned away Some autistic adults do report referrals being rejected because of their autism. NHS England names this in its own guidance as a recognised failure, not as acceptable practice. The Equality Act 2010 defines disability by the effect of an impairment rather than by its cause. The statutory guidance is explicit that "it is not necessary for the cause of the impairment to be established". The duty to make reasonable adjustments follows the effect. It does not follow a letter. Source: [ODI: Equality Act guidance](https://viacara.com/support/neurodivergence/waiting-for-assessment/#ref-7) ## What we do and do *not* do We do not assess anyone. We do not diagnose anyone. We are not part of the NHS pathway and we cannot shorten your wait. ViaCara is built to ask how you work and then find professionals who already work that way. You can say "I think I am autistic" or "I am waiting for an ADHD assessment" and that is enough. Nobody will ask you to prove it. Thanks for your interest. We're not taking on new clients at the moment. ## Waiting does not have to mean waiting *alone* We ask what matters to you, then find professionals who fit. Leave your email and we'll let you know as soon as we're ready for you. This conversation helps us find you the right support. What you share helps us understand what you're looking for and find someone who fits. Your email keeps you updated on what's happening next and isn't shared with anyone we introduce you to. [Privacy policy](https://viacara.com/privacy) [Terms of service](https://viacara.com/terms) ## References 1. NHS England (2024). *NHS Talking Therapies for anxiety and depression manual, version 7.1, section 10.3.4*. [Link](https://www.england.nhs.uk/publication/the-improving-access-to-psychological-therapies-manual/) 2. NHS England (2025). *Meeting the needs of autistic adults in mental health services (B1800)*. [Link](https://www.england.nhs.uk/long-read/meeting-the-needs-of-autistic-adults-in-mental-health-services/) 3. NHS England Digital (2026). *Autism statistics, July 2025 to June 2026, published 13 August 2026*. [Link](https://digital.nhs.uk/data-and-information/publications/statistical/autism-statistics/july-2025-to-june-2026) 4. NHS England Digital (2026). *ADHD management information, May 2026 release, data revised 25 June 2026*. [Link](https://digital.nhs.uk/data-and-information/publications/statistical/mi-adhd/may-2026) 5. House of Commons Library (2026). *FAQ: ADHD statistics (England), research briefing CBP-10551, updated 11 September 2026*. [Link](https://commonslibrary.parliament.uk/research-briefings/cbp-10551/) 6. NICE (2014). *Autism: quality standard QS51, quality statement 1, diagnostic assessment by an autism team*. [Link](https://www.nice.org.uk/guidance/qs51/chapter/quality-statement-1-diagnostic-assessment-by-an-autism-team) 7. Office for Disability Issues (2011). *Equality Act 2010 guidance on matters to be taken into account in determining questions relating to the definition of disability, paragraphs A3 and A7*. [Link](https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/equality-act-guidance) 8. NHS (2025). *Talking therapies, page last reviewed 5 November 2025*. [Link](https://www.nhs.uk/tests-and-treatments/talking-therapies/) ## Related ### [Therapy When You Are Autistic](https://viacara.com/support/neurodivergence/autism/) Does talking therapy work for autistic adults? NHS data says yes, slightly less well than for others. Here is what good support looks like. ### [Therapy When You Have ADHD](https://viacara.com/support/neurodivergence/adhd/) ADHD is under-recognised in UK adults and the waiting lists are enormous. Here is what talking therapy can and cannot do alongside that. ### [Masking Without a Diagnosis](https://viacara.com/support/neurodivergence/masking/masking-without-a-diagnosis/) Most autistic adults in England have no diagnosis, and masking is part of why. You can get help with the performing without deciding what sits behind it. ### [Finding the Right Practitioner](https://viacara.com/guides/finding-a-practitioner/) A practical guide to finding a mental health practitioner who fits your needs, preferences and budget.