Tools and apps to help everyday life

National Autistic Society has a huge amount of advice and guidance resources.  On their website, enter keywords into the search function to identify the most helpful information.

The National Autistic Society has developed information, practical and multimedia resources to support autistic people and their families before, during and after diagnosis.

There are also YouTube videos in which a clinical director at the National Autistic Society answers FAQs about autism assessment and diagnosis.

Autistica Tips Hub is a free app to help you find reliable autism tips and evidence-based resources. Created by and for the autistic community, it offers practical tips and high-quality resources on everyday life, mental health and wellbeing, and information for professionals working with autistic people.

Metropolitan Police Autism Card is a credit-sized card that the person carries with them and alerts the Police that the person has communication needs.  Also, the person carries a A5 sized passport, providing more detail about how the Police needs to communicate with the person, including how to help the person and any relevant information.  The Police do not hold any personal data.

To get a Met Police Autism Card, email [email protected].

Stop and Search Guidance for autistic people: produced by Anna Kennedy Online and the Metropolitan Police is available.

My Health Passport is provided by National Autistic Society and is designed to help autistic people communicate their needs to doctors, nurses and other healthcare professionals during appointments and hospital stays.

Text to Speech Apps (AAC Apps) provide a range of Text to Speech apps for people who do not like speaking (especially on the phone). This is one example of an AAC App which some autistic people might find useful. With the app you can create categories and phrases, which are placed on buttons. With these buttons you can create messages that can be shown or spoken (text-to-speech). It is also possible to type any text using the keyboard. 

Relay UK provides FREE text to speech phone call assistance, run by British Telecom. Relay UK can call people, such as Department for Work and Pensions, on your behalf.

A Sunflower lanyard is a simple, optional way for someone to show they have a disability or condition that might not be visible. It helps people let others know they may need a bit more time, understanding or support when they’re out and about, without having to explain. You can get a Sunflower lanyard for free from some places like transport hubs, shops or services that support the scheme. You can learn more about how to get one here.

Molehill Mountain is an app to help autistic people understand and self-manage anxiety. You can use Molehill Mountain to track worries and situations that trigger anxiety, get evidence-based daily tips, and feel more confident in self-managing anxiety.

TfL has a free TfL travel mentoring service that supports people using public transport in and around London to become more confident and independent travellers. The support can be via a smartphone app, over the phone, or in-person. Email [email protected] or call 020 3054 4361 (call charges may apply) 09:00-16:00, Monday to Friday to find out more or book an appointment.

Universal Care Plan is a digital care plan based on what matters to you. It allows your wishes, along with your individual care and support needs, to be shared digitally with healthcare professionals involved in your care in London. People can ask their GP or another healthcare professional for help with writing a Universal Care Plan.