ADHD statistics 2025

Attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) is a developmental condition that affects both children and adults. It’s commonly marked by trouble focusing, hyperactive behaviour, and acting on impulse.

ADHD has seen a significant rise in awareness in recent years. To help you gain a better understanding of the condition, we’ve pulled together some statistics from leading charities, governmental organisations and other research into the area.

Prevalence

• There are an estimated 2.5 million people in England with ADHD, including undiagnosed cases. Around 740,000 (29.6%) are aged between 5 and 24 years, while around 1.6 million are aged 25 and over. [1]
• One in twenty adults in England (5.8%) think they have ADHD. Of those, 1.8% report a professional diagnosis, while 1.5% had symptoms in the past year. [2]
• In England, there are similar self-report rates of ADHD in men (5.8%) and women (5.5%). Professional diagnosis rates are equal in men and women (both at 1.7%). [2]
• Between 2-5% of UK children are estimated to have ADHD, compared with around 5% globally. While national data is limited, studies suggest that 3.4% of UK children, aged 5-15, have been diagnosed . [3]
• There has been a yearly rise of 18% in ADHD prescriptions since the beginning of the COVID pandemic. [15]

Impact on health services

• Children with ADHD in England attend GP services twice as often and attend the hospital 1.8 times more than matched peers. [5]
• In England, over 549,000 children and adults are awaiting ADHD assessments. [4]
• There is a high ADHD prevalence of 20-34% in England among NEET youth (not in education, employment or training). [6]
• Not treating ADHD is estimated to cost the UK economy around £17 billion. This includes higher costs for health and social care, more reliance on state benefits and less tax contributions. [6]

People seeking professional treatment

• 2025 figures showed that only 0.32% of 9 million UK GP records had a recorded ADHD diagnosis. This means only one in nine UK people with ADHD are diagnosed. [7]
• In the UK, only 26.6% of children and 15.6% of adults who are estimated to have ADHD receive pharmacologic treatment. [8]
• ADHD treatment prescriptions in England have doubled in 6 years. This rose to almost 278,000 patients receiving nervous system stimulants and other drugs in 2023-24. [9]
• Nearly 78% of US children with ADHD have at least one other co-occurring condition. The most common are behaviour or conduct problems and anxiety. [10]

Workplace and education

• UK university students with ADHD experience difficulties in academic performance without timely assessment and support. [11]
• Adults with ADHD are more likely to struggle with organisation, time management and concentration at work, leading to reduced performance and possible job loss. [12]

Risk factors and lifespan

• In the UK and the Republic of Ireland, adverse maternal mental health, prenatal exposure, trauma, and early adversity are shown to contribute to ADHD, alongside genetic predisposition. [3]
• A UK study of 30,039 adults with diagnosed ADHD found that men lose an average of 6.78 years of life expectancy, while women lose 8.64 years, compared to the general population. [13]
• A Danish study found that people with ADHD are almost five times more likely to be suicidal, including suicide attempts and completed suicides. [14]

Further reading