Economic cost of autism in the UK

• Published in: Autism : the international journal of research and practice 2009-05, Vol.13 (3), p.317-336
• Main Authors: Knapp, Martin, Romeo, Renée, Beecham, Jennifer
• Format: Article
• Language: English
• Subjects: Adolescent; Adolescents; Adult; Adults; Age Differences; Age Factors; Autism; Autistic children; Autistic Disorder - economics; Autistic Disorder - epidemiology; Autistic people; Autistic spectrum disorders; Child; Child Health; Child Rearing; Child, Preschool; Childhood Needs; Comorbidity; Costs; Costs and Cost Analysis - statistics & numerical data; Discounting; Economic costs; Economic Factors; Female; Foreign Countries; Foster Home Care - economics; Foster Home Care - statistics & numerical data; Health Care Costs; Health Care Costs - statistics & numerical data; Health care expenditures; Housing - economics; Housing - statistics & numerical data; Humans; Incidence; Individual Characteristics; Intellectual disabilities; Intellectual Disability - economics; Intellectual Disability - epidemiology; Learning disabilities; Male; Mental Retardation; Opportunity costs; Pervasive Developmental Disorders; Place of Residence; Prevalence; Productivity; Quality of Life; Residence; Residential Facilities - economics; Residential Facilities - statistics & numerical data; Severity (of Disability); Social Integration; Social Work - economics; Social Work - statistics & numerical data; United Kingdom; United Kingdom - epidemiology; Well being; Young Children
• ISSN: 1362-3613; 1461-7005
• DOI: 10.1177/1362361309104246

Autism has lifetime consequences, with potentially a range of impacts on the health, wellbeing, social integration and quality of life of individuals and families. Many of those impacts are economic. This study estimated the costs of autism spectrum disorders (ASDs) in the UK. Data on prevalence, level of intellectual disability and place of residence were combined with average annual costs of services and support, together with the opportunity costs of lost productivity. The costs of supporting children with ASDs were estimated to be £2.7 billion each year. For adults, these costs amount to £25 billion each year. The lifetime cost, after discounting, for someone with ASD and intellectual disability is estimated at approximately £1.23 million, and for someone with ASD without intellectual disability is approximately £0.80 million.