Overview
- Health Secretary Wes Streeting has commissioned an independent review into alleged overdiagnoses of ADHD, autism and common mental health conditions linked by ministers to benefit claims and work absence.
- Government commentary connects rising diagnoses with increases in Personal Independence Payment claims and disability rolls, with reports citing PIP claimants rising from under 30,000 in 2020 to nearly 80,000 this year and total disability claims reaching 2.9 million in 2024.
- Specialists and advocates counter that ADHD remains underdiagnosed in the UK, noting fewer than 1% hold a formal diagnosis despite prevalence estimates of 3–4%, alongside a post‑pandemic annual rise of about 18% in medication prescribing.
- Patients report major barriers to assessment and care, including postcode lotteries and waiting lists that can stretch for many years, which commentators argue keep people from receiving effective treatment and workplace support.
- Clinicians highlight ADHD’s seriousness and genetic basis, associated health risks such as reduced life expectancy, and potential diagnostic overshadowing from comorbid conditions, urging joined‑up medical pathways over tighter diagnostic gatekeeping.