Purpose – The purpose of this paper is to provide a summary of English policy and legislation which impacts on the health outcomes and social inclusion for adults with autism. Design/methodology/approach – A descriptive review of national policy for England was undertaken using key internet search engines such as Google. Findings – In spite of innovative legislation and policy relating to autism across England, there are still wide discrepancies in both service models and provision relating to autism. More work is required to communicate what autism services should look like along with greater awareness training for professionals working with adults with autism to ensure reasonable adjustments are occurring across public services. Originality/value – This paper outlines current key policy and legislation in England relating to autism.