A new report by Rights & Security International (RSI) has revealed that neurodivergent people, especially those with autism, are being disproportionately referred to the UK’s Prevent and Channel counter-extremism programmes. The charity pointed to internal government data from 2021 showing that more than a quarter of individuals in the Channel programme were either diagnosed with or suspected of having autism. RSI argues that many of these referrals may reflect unmet healthcare needs rather than genuine extremism risks.
Experts have raised concerns that common traits of neurodivergence, such as intense interests or difficulties with social communication—are being misinterpreted as warning signs of radicalisation. This misjudgment, they say, risks subjecting people to unnecessary interventions that can cause more harm than good. The charity has also criticised the Home Office for failing to collect equality data on referrals, which could violate legal obligations under the Equality Act.
In response, the government has launched a review of the Prevent programme and pledged to consider how it supports neurodivergent individuals. Still, RSI has requested a formal resolution meeting to push for more systemic change, including better training and safeguards to ensure that vulnerable people are not wrongfully labelled as potential extremists.
The findings highlight the urgent need for a more informed and inclusive approach to counter-extremism. Without it, the UK’s strategy risks not only undermining trust but also failing the very people it should protect.
