Leading charities have written to Stephen Kinnock MP, Minister of State for Care, calling for immediate action after figures revealed that 2,025 autistic individuals and people with learning disabilities are still being detained in mental health hospitals.

Despite previous commitments to reduce these numbers, the Government has delayed changes to detention laws, stating that reforms outlined in the Mental Health Bill won’t be enacted until it is confident sufficient community-based support is in place. The National Autistic Society, Mencap, and The Challenging Behaviour Foundation are among the organisations urging ministers to publish a clear, detailed strategy without further delay.

One year has passed since the Government and NHS missed their 2024 target to halve the number of people detained since 2015. Alarmingly, rather than falling, the number of autistic people detained has risen by 4% since then. Overall, detentions have increased by 136% since 2015 - highlighting a worsening crisis.

Although a new target of a 10% reduction by March 2026 has been introduced, campaigners say this lacks direction and ambition. Mel Merritt from the National Autistic Society stressed the urgent need for a coordinated Government plan, warning that without one, people will continue to face long, harmful detentions - often lasting nearly five years - in institutions not designed to meet their needs.