Autistic people often find managing their financial affairs overwhelming. As a parent or carer, it can be helpful to teach your autistic child about money from a young age. This could include giving them pocket money for example, playing shopping games or encouraging your child to save towards a special toy or goal. 

Money and living independently

Once an autistic person lives independently, they need to be able to keep tabs on their income and spending. Working out a budget together and learning ways to stick to it can help. It’s also worth having a conversation about the dangers of giving or lending money to other people, as autistic people can sometimes become vulnerable to exploitation by criminals. 

Banking and insurance

Some autistic people may need additional support with banking and dealing with financial matters such as pensions or setting up insurance. Under the Equality Act 2010 financial institutions need to ensure they make their products accessible to all. Talk to your bank to find out if they offer any support for autistic people. There are also different organisations and websites that offer advice on managing your finances, which you can find in the links below.