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ADHD in the UK: The State of Play in 2025 – Diagnosis In 2025, ADHD is receiving more attention in the UK than ever before, with referrals and diagnoses rising sharply over the past decade. By June 2025, there were 668,370 open referrals for a possible ADHD diagnosis across mental health and community services in England. Within that same month, more than 18,000 new referrals were made, reflecting the scale of demand. Despite this surge, experts agree that the actual prevalence of ADHD has not increased—what has changed is recognition, awareness, and access to diagnosis. Several factors explain this rise in demand. Social media platforms like TikTok have amplified discussions of neurodivergence, encouraging people to recognise traits in themselves and seek help. Adults, especially women whose symptoms often went unrecognised in childhood, are increasingly receiving first-time diagnoses. Better training for healthcare professionals and broader assessment criteria have also helped capture cases that would have previously gone unnoticed. The validation provided by a diagnosis has been life-changing for many adults who have been struggling with feelings of inadequacy brought on by not realising their own neurodiversity. How many people in the UK have been diagnosed with ADHD? There are a significant number of people with ADHD in Britain. As of May 2025, it is thought that an estimated 2.5 million people have ADHD, including both those with and without a formal diagnosis. A UCL study found that between 2000 and 2018, diagnoses increased twentyfold, with the relative rise being highest among adults. Adult diagnosis reflects a cultural shift in how ADHD is understood; no longer viewed solely as a childhood condition, it is now accepted as a lifelong difference affecting people across all ages. The challenges for services like the NHS However, the growing recognition of ADHD brings serious challenges. NHS services are not set up to meet this new level of demand, with around 549,000 people waiting for an adult ADHD assessment in March 2025. Many wait years for a diagnosis, leading to frustration and misery by leaving people without the support or treatment they need. The situation was further compounded by the COVID-19 pandemic, which has disrupted services and exacerbated symptoms for many. The popularity of ADHD content online has brought greater acceptance and reduced stigma, but it has also led to some misunderstandings about symptoms and treatment. Generally speaking, the rise in awareness of ADHD is positive; however, there is still much to do to get help to the people who most need it. Some of the options available for diagnosis and treatment The Right to Choose scheme has sought to address some of the rising demand for ADHD diagnoses by allowing people to get NHS funding to register with a private provider. However, over the past five years, this system has also struggled to keep pace with the rise in referrals, exacerbated in part by medication shortages, which have created bottlenecks in moving people onto prescriptions. Although there are medication options available for some, other options such as talking therapies (Cognitive Behavioural Therapy), programmes helpful for ADHD like those for Sleep, Rumination, or Mindfulness are only available through the NHS in certain areas, and are woefully underfunded, only reaching a minute proportion of those who would benefit every year. There are, however, some other positives. The field of ADHD coaching has grown immensely in the past 10 or 15 years, with many more well-trained coaches offering a variety of ADHD coaching, support, and education specialisms for both children and adults. These can form a vital part of a multi–modal intervention plan, both at home and in workplaces or educational settings. Towards the future There is hope that AI tools will lead to faster and cheaper diagnoses, and some tests have already been trialled nationally and approved for use by the NHS, such as the QbTest, which aims to speed up diagnosis for children. There is, as yet, nothing similar for adults, although various hybrid models that use AI for clinical support appear promising. Ultimately, the surge in demand highlights the urgent need for expanded specialist services to ensure timely, accurate, and supportive care for those with ADHD in the UK. I’d love to know what your own experiences have been with either NHS or private services: please get in touch with me at Further reading: |