Is Autism a Disability?

Is autism a disability: what it means

Whether autism counts as a disability depends on the setting, and different systems answer the question in different ways.

What type of disability is autism?

The answer changes with the question being asked. Here is how common wording lines up, using the official definitions.

• Is autism considered a disability by the law? The Disability Discrimination Act 1992 covers physical, intellectual, psychiatric, sensory, neurological and learning disability. Autism may fall within this broad definition, and the Act does not rely on a formal diagnosis.
• Is autism a developmental disability? The wording varies between systems. The DDA lists neurological disability, the NDIS lists impairment types such as cognitive and neurological, and under NDIS early intervention requirements, a child younger than 6 with developmental delay can be eligible if early intervention supports will reduce their future need for support (NDIA).
• Is autism an intellectual disability? No, they are different. Inclusion Australia describes intellectual disability as a lifelong condition a person is born with or acquires before age 18, diagnosed with an IQ test and an adaptive behaviour test (Inclusion Australia). Autism is not defined that way, so the two are not the same thing.
• Is autism spectrum disorder a learning disability? Not by definition. Healthdirect says learning disabilities affect learning in a specific area such as reading or maths (healthdirect). If reading is a concern, our dyslexia guide explains that learning disability.
• Is autism a mental disability or a psychosocial disability? The NDIA says not everyone with a mental health condition experiences psychosocial disability (NDIA), and the NDIS lists neurological and psychosocial impairments separately.

Is autism a disability in Australia: law, NDIS and income support

Each system has its own test, so being autistic does not automatically qualify you for everything. Ask what each one needs from you.

NDIS guidelines say a diagnosis on List A means the NDIA will likely decide you meet the disability requirements, while a List B diagnosis means it will likely decide your impairment is likely to be permanent (NDIS guidelines). Our autism funding guide explains how this applies to autism. For income support or legal questions, check with Services Australia or a qualified adviser.

Related terms

• Autism: explained in what is autism, with common signs in symptoms of autism.
• ADHD: the Australian ADHD Guideline found children and adolescents with autism have a significantly higher risk of ADHD (AADPA); see is ADHD a disability.
• Intellectual disability: a separate condition, covered in types of intellectual disability and activities for intellectual disability.
• Down syndrome: Inclusion Australia lists it as a common cause of intellectual disability; see is Down syndrome a disability.

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