Health Secretary Wes Streeting is to launch an independent review into the growing demand for mental health, ADHD and autism services in England.
Streeting has previously suggested that mental health conditions are being “overdiagnosed” and the government has argued that increased pressure on the system has led to long waits for people in urgent need of help.
He said: “We must look at this through a strictly clinical lens to gain an evidence-based understanding… That is the only way we can ensure that everyone has timely access to accurate diagnosis and effective support.”
The Department of Health and Social Care (DHSC) said the review is being launched alongside £688m of additional funding, but it also comes as ministers look to tackle a growing social care bill.
Earlier this year, the government was forced to scale back planned cuts to disability benefits, including for those with mental health problems, after facing a strong backlash from more than 100 of Labor’s own MPs.
But on Monday the prime minister promised a new push to reform the welfare system, which was said to have “trapped people in poverty” and “discarded young people for being too sick to work”.
Led by clinical psychologist Professor Peter Fonagy, the findings of the new review will be published in summer 2026.
Professor Fonagy said the aim was to “rigorously test assumptions and listen carefully to those most affected, so that our recommendations are honest and genuinely useful”.
In March this year, around four million working-age adults in England and Wales claimed disability or disability benefits, up from almost three million in 2019, according to research by the Institute for Fiscal Studies (IFS).
The DHSC said the increased pressure on the NHS “means that for too long, people with acute needs have faced long waits, had to navigate overstretched services, experienced inequalities in care and felt abandoned when support was most needed.”
Mental health charity Mind welcomed the government’s announcement and signaled its willingness to contribute to the review.
“This is a great opportunity to really understand what is driving the rising levels of mental illness, especially among our young people,” said chief executive Dr Sarah Hughes.
President of the Royal College of Psychiatrists, Dr Lade Smith, called for the review to “rigorously identify gaps in care” and consider the “many complex reasons” why people seek help.
The National Autistic Society said: “We need urgent action because, while we currently see the number of people seeking an assessment leveling off, the average waiting time is soaring.”
