Almost 2.5m people in England likely to have ADHD, data shows
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The long wait for an ADHD diagnosis in the UK
- An estimated 2.5 million people in England may have attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD), according to new figures.
- NHS England estimates suggest that 741,000 children and young people aged five to 24 may have ADHD, along with 147,000 under the age of five.
- Over half a million people (549,000) in England were waiting for an ADHD assessment as of March 2025, up from 416,000 the previous year.
- Of those waiting for assessment, 304,000 had been waiting at least a year, and 144,000 had been waiting at least two years, with the majority (382,000) aged between five and 24.
- Healthwatch England's chief executive, Louise Ansari, highlighted that many people with ADHD don’t seek support due to long assessment waits and called for more comprehensive and robust data collection.