A generation of children risk being harmed by ADHD and autism over-diagnosis, landmark government review warns

From the Newshound archive · first published 8 October 2026 · last updated 9 October 2026.

Britain has reached a "tipping point" at which poorly regulated private clinics are wrongly applying ADHD and autism labels to children, according to a 607-page government-commissioned review led by Professor Peter Fonagy. Autism diagnoses have soared 40-fold since 2000 and ADHD referrals 15-fold, yet experts found no evidence that the true prevalence among children has actually risen. The review demands sweeping reform, including stricter oversight of private clinics and a ban on their direct advertising, warning that the current system is letting patients down and pushing up welfare costs.

Receiving an ADHD diagnosis before the age of 17 leaves young people four times less likely to be in education, employment or training in adulthood, at a cost to taxpayers of £244,000 per person.

Private companies now carry out over half of all NHS-funded ADHD assessments and around a third of autism assessments, yet when GPs were surveyed, large numbers said they had never seen a private provider turn down a diagnosis request.

Fonagy warned that a label can 'close doors', leaving children feeling unable to achieve — and urged that support no longer be 'locked behind' waiting for a diagnosis.