HEALTH chiefs are in a race against time to save an autism support scheme helping more than 1,500 people.

Adults with the condition face a "completely preventable crisis" if funding is not secured within weeks, a user group has warned.

An £88,000 grant for Hampshire Autism Support Service expired on March 31 with nothing to replace it.

Hampshire County Council has agreed to fund the scheme for another month after advocates at Autism Voice raised the alarm, but a further fix must be found before May 1.

Closure could lead to rises in homelessness, self-harm and people being sectioned, according to an official risk report seen by the Daily Echo.

A council spokeswoman said "discussions are ongoing" about further interim funding.

The scheme provided advice for more than 1,500 patients, carers and relatives in 2015 and handled 30 safeguarding cases including suicide attempts.

David Carter, of Hampshire Autism Voice, said renewing the service seemed to have "slipped off the radar" as the council tried to cope with budget cuts.

He said: "We've been rattling cages since October and nobody's seemed to want to take it under their responsibility.

"They've been spending a lot of time reviewing grants. It appears to me it's taken them a lot longer than they anticipated and therefore we've suddenly come to the 31st of March and suddenly it's 'oh my goodness, that two-year grant that was supposed to be a temporary thing [has expired] and there's nothing in place.

"The local authority and local NHS organisations need to meet immediately to resolve this issue before many adults with autism go into completely preventable crisis."

The service is provided by the charity Autism Hampshire and has been funded by the council and Public Health England for the last two years.

Mr Carter praised the quality of the service but warned of dire consequences if it is not renewed.

He said: "Until now, Hampshire has been recognised as one of the leading local authority areas in the country supporting autism. We are concerned that this reputation and the good work that has taken place will now be at risk."

A Hampshire County Council spokeswoman said: "Discussions are ongoing around what further interim funding may be possible, pending the opening of the new grant application process in early summer. In the meantime, we continue to work closely with the Hampshire Autism Partnership Board (HAPB) to ensure the needs of people with autism, along with those of their families and carers, are met.”

Public Health England did not respond to a request for comment.