The Department for Work and Pensions (DWP) is set to conduct a sweeping review of how mental health conditions qualify for benefits, with a specific focus on diagnoses for ADHD and autism. The move, ordered by Labour's Health Secretary Wes Streeting, comes amid a sharp rise in the number of people claiming support for these conditions.
Which Conditions Are Facing Scrutiny?
The review will examine a range of mental health conditions that have become common reasons for claiming benefits. The DWP will specifically review autism, ADHD, depression, and anxiety. This initiative follows concerning statistics revealing that 4.4 million people are now receiving handouts for mental health conditions.
Further data highlights a significant increase in antidepressant use, with 8.9 million people in England now prescribed them, up from 6.9 million just a decade ago. Mr Streeting has expressed concern that feelings of everyday stress may be being "over pathologised" and that "overdiagnosis" could be leading to too many individuals being "written off" from work and support.
A Clinical Lens on Rising Diagnoses
Announcing the review, Wes Streeting emphasised a dual commitment to both support and rigorous evidence. "I know from personal experience how devastating it can be for people who face poor mental health, have ADHD or autism and can’t get a diagnosis or the right support," he stated.
He added, "We must look at this through a strictly clinical lens to get an evidence-based understanding of what we know, what we don’t know, and what these patterns tell us about our mental health system." The ultimate goal, according to the Health Secretary, is to ensure timely access to accurate diagnosis and effective support for everyone.
What the Independent Review Will Do
The independent review will be led by the prominent clinical psychologist Professor Peter Fonagy. Its mandate is to analyse the drivers behind the rising demand for autism and ADHD services and to make concrete recommendations for improving NHS mental health provision.
Professor Fonagy outlined the approach: "We will examine the evidence with care — from research, from people with lived experience, and from clinicians working at the frontline... to understand, in a grounded way, what is driving rising demand." The review aims to provide advice that is proportionate, evidence-based, and capable of improving people’s lives, with a focus on getting people care before they reach a crisis point.
The outcome of this major assessment is expected to shape future DWP benefit rules and NHS diagnostic pathways for years to come, impacting millions of current and future claimants across the United Kingdom.
