The Independent review into mental health conditions, ADHD and autism: interim report was published on 31st March 2026.
For many of us, it had no surprises.
Common mental health conditions and psychological distress have increased over the past two decades, particularly among younger people, from around 15–16% in the early 1990s to around 23% by the mid-2020s.
In the early 2010s the weight of anxiety appears to have shifted from older people to the younger generation. The largest increases among young people are seen in emotional symptoms, loneliness, sleep problems, loss of confidence and difficulty concentrating. Their difficulties are more disabling with more functional impairment.
“Rising distress among young people is linked to educational disruption, school absence, disengagement from work and training, and high rates of young people not in education, employment or training (NEET).”
Increasing rates were also noted in eating disorders but not in other severe mental disorders like psychosis and severe mood disorders.
Autism and ADHD have been the highlights that I have noted in the media I have accessed. “NHS England monitoring data show that the number of children and young people waiting for an ADHD assessment rose from around 21,000 in April 2019 to around 270,000 by December 2025. Primary care data also show a sharp acceleration in diagnoses after 2020, with incidence among women aged 20–24 more than doubling compared with pre-pandemic trends, while increases among males have been smaller.” NICE estimates the ADHD rates are stable, though, at 5% in children and 2-3% in adults.
The report recognises that this is not over-diagnosis but a wider recognition of ADHD and with this will come limitations, such as concentrating on those who are the most severe or the most easily treated to have a functional impact.
Autism rates in children are stable. However, the increase has been in the SEND requests and education system and “primary care data show rising numbers of autism diagnoses over time, with especially rapid growth among females and young people without learning disability, even though absolute diagnosis rates remain higher in males.”
With more pressure on all services, support is often tied to a diagnosis so this may be a factor in people seeking a diagnosis.
Referrals are likely to continue rising. The systems for diagnosis, treatment and other support need to be equipped to respond. The NHS cannot do this alone, there are many other health providers, subcontracted via NHS funding but also there are many other non-health providers that offer support.
The good mental health of a population is developed in families, schools, communities, and workplaces. There must be education of development of good mental health care in all these areas, we teach our children to wash their hands before eating, why is there not the same emphasis on getting outside and connecting with others and nature?
The report can be found here https://assets.publishing.service.gov.uk/media/69cbdb2369dd81b3f213c660/independent-review-into-mental-health-conditions-ADHD-and-autism-interim-report.pdf