A record number of patients are being prescribed medications for Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD) on the UK's National Health Service (NHS), with numbers soaring by nearly a third in the last fiscal year and more than tripling over the past decade. The NHS Business Services Authority (NHSBSA) reported that 427,000 individuals received central nervous system stimulants or other ADHD drugs in 2025/26, a 31% increase from 326,000 the previous year. This figure is more than triple the 116,000 recorded in 2016/17.
The most significant rise was observed among adults, with prescriptions for those aged 18 and over increasing by 40% to 267,000 in 2025/26, up from 190,000 in 2024/25. Prescribing among children saw an 18% increase, rising from 136,000 to 160,000.
Overall, the total number of prescriptions issued for ADHD medications reached 4.2 million in 2025/26, a 25% increase from 3.38 million the prior year. Experts attribute this surge partly to the "medicalization of distress," suggesting that behaviors once considered within the normal range are now increasingly interpreted as requiring medical treatment.
NHS England estimates that approximately 2,492,000 people may have ADHD, including those undiagnosed. Of this group, an estimated 741,000 are children and young people aged five to 24. As of March 2026, there were over 803,000 open referrals potentially for ADHD assessments.
Government Review and Contributing Factors
In response to rising demand, the UK government launched a review into ADHD, autism, and mental health services in December. A report published in March indicated that diagnoses are increasingly being sought to secure support, and educational systems may be influencing this demand. The report highlighted "rising distress" among young people as a key factor, positing that the "medicalization of distress" can make a diagnosis the primary route to support, even when alternatives might be more suitable. Historically, behaviors in children that were once viewed as normal variations are now more frequently considered to require intervention.
Broader Trends in Mental Health Prescribing
The NHSBSA's annual Medicines Used in Mental Health report, which tracks prescribing across several categories, revealed increases across the board. Antidepressants remained the most widely prescribed group, with 96 million items issued to 9.1 million patients, a 3.1% rise from the previous year. Women constituted 65% of antidepressant recipients. Prescriptions for dementia medications also reached their highest levels since 2016/17, with 5 million drugs prescribed to 341,000 identified patients in 2025/26. Prescribing for hypnotics, anxiolytics, and antipsychotics also saw annual increases. Notably, four out of the five prescribing categories showed higher patient numbers in more deprived areas of England, with the exception of dementia drugs.