How people with ADHD could see benefits cut after overdiagnosis review

The Government will look to cut the number of people receiving benefits for ADHD, it is expected, with a review set to recommend symptoms should not lead to an automatic offer of a diagnosis. A number of reviews have been examining the increase in those being diagnosed with conditions like ADHD and autism and a link to the rise in young people not in employment, education or training (Neets). The topic has sparked a fierce political debate at a time when the cost of Britain’s welfare bill is soaring. Shorts Reform UK’s Richard Tice is among those who have previously claimed there is a “crisis of overdiagnosis” of special educational needs among children. Wes Streeting, the former Labour health secretary who ordered a review into the issue, initially claimed that “overdiagnosis” of mental health conditions was leading to “too many people being written off”, but later retracted his comments saying he had “failed to capture the complexity of this problem”. Streeting’s review, which is being led by Professor Peter Fonagy, a clinical psychologist and professor at University College London, is expected to be published imminently and inform government policy across departments including health and the Department for Work and Pensions (DWP). How many people are diagnosed with ADHD or autism and are receiving benefits? NHS statistics estimate that 2.5 million people have ADHD, including those who have not been diagnosed formally. Of these, an estimated 740,000 are children and young people aged five to 24. ADHD waiting lists, referrals and diagnoses have surged in recent years, with the number of children and young people waiting for an assessment rising from around 21,000 in 2019 to 270,000 by the end of last year, according to NHS England monitoring data. There has also been a rise in the number of people seeking an autism assessment, with 290,000 people on the waiting list as of June – a 15 per cent increase compared to last year, according to the latest NHS data. The proportion of adults screening positive for ADHD has increased from 10 per cent in 2014 to 14 per cent in 2024, with those who show signs of the condition now more likely to be diagnosed, according to the NHS’s Adult Psychiatric Morbidity Survey (APMS). More than 100,000 people with ADHD as their main condition now receive PIP, with the latest government figures showing a 40 per cent rise since Labour came to power in 2024. What do we know about potential benefit plans for people with ADHD? The review led by Professor Fonagy is expected to conclude that autism and ADHD are not being widely over-diagnosed. However, experts believe too many people are being forced to push for a diagnosis in order to access appropriate support. Pat McFadden, the DWP minister, told The i Paper he would like to see benefits for unemployed young people replaced with employment support. “Work beats welfare every single time,” he said while visiting the Netherlands on a “fact-finding mission” as he prepared to publish his final recommendations in a landmark report about young people and work later this autumn. Amid concerns over the growing welfare bill, the likelihood is that people with symptoms of conditions such as ADHD will no longer be automatically offered a diagnosis, according to The Times newspaper. Instead, patients will be “triaged” via a “needs-based” system that emphasises support rather than a diagnostic label. When do we expect reforms to be brought in? Andy Burnham’s Government is under increasing pressure about the state of Britain’s finances ahead of the Budget next month. Experts say the Prime Minister and his Chancellor, John Healey, will be required to either increase taxes or cut public spending to maintain fiscal discipline. Spending on welfare is one area the Government is likely to come under pressure to act on. New figures released on Tuesday revealed that 4.7 million working-age people claim disability or incapacity benefits, a rise of 1.8 million since 2019. A pilot of the “triage” model will launch in Manchester later this year, aiming to reduce waiting lists by 70 to 80 per cent, The Times reports. DWP minister Sir Stephen Timms’ Review of PIP published its draft recommendations this month, with a final report due to be presented to the McFadden in late autumn. Separately, ex-Labour minister Alan Milburn has also been carrying out an independent review of youth unemployment, which is due to be published this autumn. McFadden said legislation on benefits’ reform was “likely” to follow once both the Timms and Milburn reviews have concluded.