Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:

To ask His Majesty's Government what assessment they have made of the total economic costs of ADHD and neurodivergence; and what assessment they have made of how this cost could be addressed through improved treatment.

The Government itself has not made an overall economic assessment of the impact of attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) and neurodivergence. However, the independent ADHD Taskforce, which reported in 2025, reported that currently the estimated economic costs of not treating ADHD are approximately £17 billion to the United Kingdom’s economy. Three relevant ongoing reviews will help the Government better understand the issues and how they could be addressed.

The Government announced on 4 December 2025 the launch of an Independent Review into Prevalence and Support for Mental Health Conditions, ADHD and Autism. The final report, due in the summer, will make recommendations on how the Government, the health system, and wider public services can respond to increasing demand for support more fairly and effectively so that people receive the right support, at the right time, in the right place.

The next stage of the review will look at service design and how services might respond more effectively to rising need, including the role of earlier intervention, community-based provision, and more integrated pathways across health, education, and other public services. The review will also look at the question of what role the private sector plays in diagnostic services.

The Timms Review, the first review of the Personal Independence Payment benefit, is examining how it can better support disabled people to live independently and access the right support at the right level. It published its interim report on 15 July 2026, with the final review due to report in the autumn. Additionally, the Milburn Review on Young People and Work is examining how health conditions, including ADHD and autism, can affect participation in education, employment, and training, and the implications for welfare dependency. It published its interim report on 28 May, with the final report due to be published later this year. The Government will consider the findings from these reviews, alongside those of the Independent Review into Prevalence and Support for Mental Health Conditions, ADHD and Autism.