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ADHD and autism benefit claims among teenagers soar FASTEST in England's wealthiest areas, Nuffield Trust finds

From the Newshound archive · first published 22 September 2026 · last updated 23 September 2026.

A woman with ADHD, as Nuffield Trust research finds benefit claims for the condition among teenagers have tripled in England's wealthiest areas since 2019, with Surrey Heath recording a 630% rise.
A woman with ADHD, as Nuffield Trust research finds benefit claims for the condition among teenagers have tripled in England's wealthiest areas since 2019, with Surrey Heath recording a 630% rise.
ADHD and autism benefit claims among teenagers, as Nuffield Trust research finds roughly one in 20 teenagers in some affluent areas now claims PIP for the conditions.
ADHD and autism benefit claims among teenagers, as Nuffield Trust research finds roughly one in 20 teenagers in some affluent areas now claims PIP for the conditions.

Teenage disability benefit claims for ADHD and autism have more than tripled across some of England's most affluent areas since 2019, overturning the longstanding assumption that disability and deprivation go hand in hand. In Runnymede, Surrey, and Bracknell Forest, Berkshire, around one in twenty young people now receives Personal Independence Payment — a rate that outstrips even some of the country's most deprived communities. According to the Nuffield Trust, growth in the least deprived areas has outpaced that in the poorest by 28 per cent, with £87m paid to teenagers in the least deprived 40 per cent of neighbourhoods in 2025, nearly 300 per cent more than the £22m recorded in 2019.

Overall, the number of 16 and 17-year-olds claiming PIP for autism and ADHD surged from 16,045 in 2019 to 51,148 in 2025, costing £296m a year.

In Hart, Hampshire, and Wokingham, Berkshire, the share of young people drawing PIP has grown more than four-fold since 2019.

Researchers say wealthier families have better access to diagnosis and 'greater support navigating the benefits system', skewing where claims land.

MoreDaily Mail NewsDisability benefit claims are rising fastest among the young in the Home CountiesDaily Mail NewsADHD and autism benefit claims soar fastest in England's wealthiest areas, analysis showsDaily MailADHD map reveals where benefit claims for condition are soaringDaily RecordPIP claims for autism and ADHD among teenagers more than triple in some areasHealthcare Management MagazineLeast deprived areas see fastest rise in autism and ADHD benefits, analysis reveals - Healthcare Management Magazine
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