Health Secretary orders review into acceleration in mental health diagnoses

The UK government has commissioned an independent review into the rise in mental health and neurodevelopmental diagnoses, reflecting growing concern about the number of people leaving the workforce because of conditions such as depression, anxiety, autism and attention deficit hyperactivity disorder. The announcement signals a renewed focus on welfare spending and the wider economic impact of long-term sickness, with ministers arguing that too many people are becoming detached from work for reasons that may not always require formal medical intervention.

According to figures cited in The Times, 4.4 million working age adults now claim disability or incapacity benefits, an increase of 1.2 million since 2019. Diagnoses of mental illness, autism and ADHD have become the most common reason for new sickness benefit claims, and record numbers of young adults are leaving the labour market as a result of long-term conditions. Wes Streeting, the health secretary, has previously warned that “overdiagnosis” may be contributing to a situation in which people are “written off” too quickly, and he has now asked for a clinical examination of how these trends have developed.

The review, due to begin this week, will consider whether everyday stressors and emotional states are being too readily classified as medical conditions. A panel of clinical experts will explore the role of social media, smartphone use and economic pressures in shaping levels of mental distress, as well as the effect that rising demand has had on NHS waiting lists. The NHS estimates that nearly one in four adults has a common mental health condition such as depression or anxiety, while 8.9 million people in England are now taking antidepressants, compared with 6.9 million a decade ago. Streeting has described this trend, quoted in The Times, as “cause for concern”.

The number of young adults out of work due to long-term mental health conditions has risen sharply, with a 76 percent increase among those aged 16 to 34 between 2019 and 2024. Ministers have linked this to wider economic challenges, arguing that sustaining a healthy workforce is essential for long term growth. Keir Starmer and the chancellor, Rachel Reeves, have both spoken of the need to break the “cycle of worklessness” and prevent young people from becoming permanently dependent on benefits. However, earlier attempts to reform disability benefits were dropped after opposition from Labour backbenchers wary of tightening support for people with mental health conditions. The reversal left a gap in projected savings and contributed to tax rises in the last budget.

Streeting said he was motivated both by personal experience and by what clinicians have reported to him. He said he knew “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”, but added that the sharp rise in diagnoses needed to be viewed through a “strictly clinical lens”. The review is expected to make recommendations for reshaping NHS mental health provision, with an emphasis on early support and interventions that allow people to remain in work rather than reaching crisis.

Growing demand

Demand for assessments is one of the most visible pressures on the system. Waiting times for autism and ADHD diagnosis can run into years, and more than half a million people are currently awaiting ADHD assessments. Although around 800,000 people in England have been diagnosed with the condition, NHS estimates suggest the real figure may be closer to 2.5 million. Broader NHS data shows a steady rise in mental health problems across both adults and children since the 1990s. In 2024, 22.6 percent of adults had a common mental health condition, up from 18.9 percent in 2014 and 15.5 percent in 1994.

The review will be led by Professor Peter Fonagy, a clinical psychologist at University College London, with Sir Simon Wessely as vice chair. Fonagy told The Times that the panel would examine evidence from research, frontline clinicians and people with lived experience to understand what is driving demand. He said the aim was to produce advice that is “proportionate, evidence based and capable of improving people’s lives”.

Reactions from mental health organisations underline how contested the debate has become. Andy Bell, chief executive of the Centre for Mental Health, said there had been a “clearly rising trend in mental health needs” and described the suggestion of overdiagnosis as a “toxic narrative”. He said he had seen “no evidence whatsoever” that conditions were being diagnosed too readily, arguing instead that the increase reflected genuine distress linked to social pressures.

Mark Rowland, chief executive of the Mental Health Foundation, described the review as a chance to understand how social, economic and technological changes were affecting people. He said support often arrived only after individuals had reached crisis. Dr Sarah Hughes, chief executive of Mind, took a similar view, calling the review “a huge opportunity” to address rising levels of illness and the long waits for support.

The inquiry will now begin gathering evidence, with its findings expected to shape the government’s approach to mental health services and welfare reform at a time when economic participation has become a central policy concern.