Thanks for your input, negative as it may seem to you in fact you have been a great help in that it confirms that the social interaction and organisational problems I have been encountering are clearly ASD related as you seem to be having similar issues. Not sure where you are from but I have just send a long email to my local support organisation (Autism West Midlands) about the dearth of support networks for older adults with ASD and in particular those who are just in the process of getting or have recently received a diagnosis. Hang tight on getting that diagnosis, it took me six years of bagdering and the final wait to see a neuropsychiatrist took almost two years! For what it is worth many people in our position self-research the condition and in effect almost self diagnose. I took about 20 pages of notes to my GP and in particular the AQ test result and in effect made his referral unto specialists more or less inevitable. (I made sure I read the NAS notes to GPs first!)
MIght be worth moaning to your local authoritiy about their statutory obligations under the various Autism Acts.
In my email to Autism West Midlands I have asked them to consider setting up or supporting a group for older adults with late diagnosis.
I found this book worth its weight in gold and I got my copy from Amazon
Philip Wylie, VERY LATE DIAGNOSIS OF APSERGER SYNDROME (AUTISTIC SPECTRUM DISORDER) How Seeking a Diagnosis in Adulthood Can Change Your Life , Jessica Kinglsey Publishers 2014 ISBN 978 1 84905 433 1
The next bit is addressed to you as an accountant! Incidentally I use to work for the Inland Revenue and at that time (I was tax inspector doing investigation work) the working principle about whether a business was in fact a commerical one or not was based not just on it actually making a profit but on there being an expectation of profit at some time in the future and case law indicates that this time is not specified. I think my local authority's defintion of 'gainful employment' as an occupation that pays an income is incorrect, I suspect the correct interpretation is one that pays an income or provides the reasonable expectation of profit/income in the future. I think they are getting confused with those undertaking where it would never be able to make a profit (eg hobbies where large expenditure would always exceed income) as opposed to those of us sitting up for hours every night cutting up waste fabric for rugs! I think because an important feature of my product is that it is made of 100% recycled materials means that their is no expenses (and as yet no income!) caused them to fail to realise the hours I am putting in. As I already said without a support network in place my problem has been difficulty in understanding the importance of the marketing side of things