ADHD Awareness Month 2026: UK Statistics and Where to Get Assessed
October is ADHD Awareness Month. Here's what the latest NHS England data actually shows about ADHD referrals and waiting times in the UK, and where to start if you think you or your child has ADHD.
October is UK ADHD Awareness Month. Every year it brings a wave of social posts and general advice, but not much in the way of hard numbers. Here's what the most recent official data actually shows, and what to do next depending on your situation.
The numbers, from NHS England Digital
NHS England Digital publishes a monthly “ADHD Management Information” statistical release. The most recent one (published August 2026, covering data up to June 2026) shows:
- An estimated 2,478,000 people in England are thought to have ADHD, including around 741,000 aged 5–24.
- 959,662 open ADHD referrals were on record in June 2026 — up from 683,088 in March 2026, a rise of over 276,000 in three months.
- Roughly 37,105 new ADHD referrals were made in June 2026 alone.
- UK-wide, ADHD is estimated to affect around 3–4% of adults.
These are the official, published figures. We'll update this page each time NHS England Digital releases a new one, so the numbers here should always reflect the latest release.
Why the referral numbers keep climbing
The rise isn't necessarily a rise in ADHD itself — it's better reflected in the data because more people are coming forward, awareness (including via social media) has increased sharply since around 2020, and diagnostic criteria and clinical understanding, particularly for adults and women, have improved. Whatever the cause, the practical effect is the same: NHS ADHD assessment waiting lists in most parts of the UK now commonly run well over a year, and in some areas considerably longer.
That's the entire reason a site like this one exists — comparing NHS wait times, Right to Choose providers, and private clinics side by side so people aren't stuck guessing.
What ADHD Awareness Month is actually for
Awareness Month isn't really about telling people ADHD exists — most people have heard of it by now. It's more useful as a prompt: a moment each year when it's worth checking whether the way you (or your child, or someone you support) has been managing things might actually be undiagnosed ADHD, and whether it's worth doing something about it.
Below are three practical starting points, depending on where you are.
If you think you might have ADHD
- Take our free ADHD screener — a quick, non-diagnostic self-assessment based on standard screening questions, to help you decide if it's worth pursuing a formal assessment.
- Check if NHS Right to Choose applies to you — in England, Right to Choose can let you access a private-sector provider for your NHS-funded ADHD assessment, often much faster than your local NHS waiting list. It does not apply in Scotland, Wales or Northern Ireland.
- Read our guide on asking your GP for an ADHD referral — practical wording and what to expect from that appointment.
- Compare current NHS ADHD wait times by area — see how your local waiting list compares to Right to Choose and private options before deciding which route to take.
- Compare ADHD clinics across the UK — our full directory of NHS Right to Choose providers and private clinics, with pricing, wait times and verified details.
If you're looking into this for your child
Children's ADHD assessment pathways, referral routes and what to expect are different from the adult process. Read our guide to ADHD assessment for children in the UK for a full walkthrough.
If you're already diagnosed
If you already have an ADHD diagnosis and are trying to work out what happens next — particularly around medication, shared care with your GP, or moving between services — these two guides cover it:
A note on the data
The referral and prevalence figures above are drawn directly from NHS England Digital's official ADHD Management Information statistical release, which is published monthly and covers NHS-commissioned services in England. Prevalence estimates for Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland are drawn from separate national sources and cited alongside the UK-wide figure above; ADHD service structures differ across all four nations, which is part of why Right to Choose is England-only. We link directly to the source release rather than restating third-party summaries, and we'll keep this page updated as new releases come out.
Frequently asked questions
Is ADHD Awareness Month a UK-specific thing?
No — it's marked internationally, but the referral and waiting list situation described on this page is specific to NHS services in England (and, separately, in Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland, which run their own systems).
Do the NHS figures include private diagnoses?
No. The NHS England Digital release covers NHS-commissioned referrals and services only. It doesn't capture people who are assessed privately without ever entering the NHS pathway, so the true total number of people seeking an ADHD diagnosis in the UK is likely higher than the referral figures alone suggest.
Where do these statistics come from?
NHS England Digital's monthly "ADHD Management Information" statistical release. We link to the official release directly in the text above.
How often is this page updated?
Each time NHS England Digital publishes a new monthly release, so the figures on this page should always reflect the most recent data available.
This page is for informational purposes only and does not constitute medical advice. Figures are drawn from NHS England Digital's published statistical releases and will be updated as new releases become available.
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