Nearly 2.5 million living with ADHD, NHS claims

Telegraph

29-05-2025

Almost 2.5 million people in England have attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD), according to the first estimates by the NHS.
That means about one in every 23 people across the country has the neurodevelopmental disorder, some living without a diagnosis.
It is the first time the health service has made such an estimate public.
People with ADHD may have trouble concentrating or sitting still. Other symptoms include being easily distracted, forgetfulness, finding it hard to follow instructions or organise time, and making impulsive decisions.
Demand for a diagnosis has soared by more than 400 per cent since the pandemic, figures from the ADHD Foundation previously suggested.
The lockdowns fuelled a near-doubling in the number of prescriptions for ADHD medicines, according to a study published earlier this year in the BMJ Mental Health journal.
Researchers found that prescriptions per 1,000 people in England had risen from 25.17 in 2019-20 to 41.55 in 2023-24.
The new estimates from NHS England also say 741,000 children or young adults aged between five and 24 have ADHD.
The figures were developed using estimates from the National Institute for Health and Care Excellence (Nice) that suggest around 3 to 4 per cent of adults and 5 per cent of children and young people have ADHD.
The NHS data suggests some 1.7 million are currently living without a diagnosis, although it does not capture anyone who has been diagnosed and treated privately, unless this has been added to their NHS GP record.
While ADHD is not usually diagnosed in children under five – as some traits can be part of a child's normal development – estimated prevalence in youngsters aged four and under has been calculated to give an insight into how many may go on to be diagnosed.
The estimates suggest that some 147,000 under-fives are likely to have ADHD.
The new figures also suggest more than half a million people were waiting for an ADHD assessment at the end of March at 549,000, up from 416,000 a year earlier. Around two thirds of them were aged between five and 24.
Experts have warned that the increase in cases may be in part down to the pandemic and changes to daily life and stress.
They have also said there is an increasing awareness of ADHD, including via social media platforms such as TikTok and Instagram, which is likely to be encouraging more people to seek diagnosis and treatment.
Benefits claims soaring
However, officials are also concerned at the surge in benefit claims from people based on mental health and neurodevelopmental conditions.
Advice from ADHD 'sickfluencers' on social media has coincided with a sharp rise in the number of people claiming up to £69,000 a year through the Access to Work scheme – which can be used on equipment and support, including work coaches, noise-cancelling headphones and Apple smartwatches.
The total spent on the scheme increased to £258 million in the last financial year, up 40 per cent from 2022-23.
Around a third of all demand is now driven by people claiming financial support for mental health conditions, up from just 5 per cent a decade ago.
Louise Ansari, chief executive of Healthwatch England, said the figures were 'a first step in understanding the scale of demand for ADHD care'.
'Our new research highlights that many people with ADHD may simply be going without support,' she said.
'Long waits for assessments are one of the reasons people who show ADHD traits don't seek help, while those waiting for an assessment struggle to navigate the long waits.'
Ms Ansari added that there was still 'a way to go to ensure data is comprehensive and robust'.
She called for the ADHD figures to be added to official waiting list data, to 'give a clearer picture of waiting times, including who is experiencing the longest waits and why'.