Real questions. Real answers. A brighter you.
What’s getting
in your way right now?
Tell us what’s happening in your own words. We’ll connect you with clear, expert-reviewed information and practical next steps.
- Evidence-basedExpert reviewed content
- Real lifePractical and relatable
- Kind, non-judgementalSupport at your pace
“Knowledge turns overwhelm into possibility.”
01 — Getting assessed
02 — The gap
Most UK adults with ADHD are still waiting.
Published UK figures, each one linked to the source it came from.
8 years
The average wait between first raising concerns and an adult ADHD diagnosis reported by many UK services, once referral and assessment queues are combined.
Source: ADHD UK2.6 million
Estimated number of people in the UK living with ADHD, of whom the large majority of adults are undiagnosed.
Source: ADHD Foundation3–4%
Estimated prevalence of ADHD in UK adults, and around 5% in children and young people, per national clinical guidance.
Source: NICE guideline NG87
03 — By concept
Or come in through the idea, not the feeling.
Six areas that explain most of what people arrive here asking about.
- 01Focus and getting startedTasks you cannot begin, deadlines that only work at the last minute, and days that vanish.
- 02Assessment and diagnosisThe three UK routes, what they cost, how long they take, and what actually happens in the appointment.
- 03Medication and treatmentTitration, shared care with your GP, and the non-medication support that has evidence behind it.
- 04Work and studyReasonable adjustments, Access to Work, disclosure, and what to ask for in writing.
- 05Children and schoolSigns by age, SEN support, EHCPs, and homework that does not end in tears.
- 06Sleep and emotionsDelayed body clocks, bedtime resistance, and reactions that arrive at full volume.
04 — Two hubs
Different questions, different answers.
An adult asking why work has always felt this hard needs different information from a parent sitting in a SENCO meeting.
For adults
Was it always
this hard?
Symptoms in adult life, the three UK assessment routes, medication and shared care, work adjustments, sleep and emotional regulation.
Open the adult hub →For parents
Is this ADHD,
or is it me?
Signs by age, referrals for children, SEN support and EHCPs, homework without the fight, and what to do while you wait.
Open the parent hub →05 — Answers
Answer first. Then the detail.
Understanding ADHD · 7 min
ADHD symptoms in adults: what it actually looks like
In adults, ADHD usually shows up as difficulty starting and finishing tasks, time blindness, forgetfulness, restlessness and emotional intensity — not as obvious hyperactivity. Symptoms must have been present since childhood and cause real difficulty in more than one area of life.
Getting assessed · 8 min
How to get an ADHD assessment in the UK: every route
There are three routes to an ADHD assessment in the UK: a referral to your local NHS service, an NHS-funded Right to Choose referral to an independent provider (England only), or paying for a private assessment yourself. Start by taking a short history of lifelong difficulties and current impact to your GP. The main routes are a local NHS referral, an NHS-funded Right to Choose referral in England, or a private self-referral. An assessment should examine childhood history, difficulties across settings, functional impact, coexisting conditions and other possible explanations — not just a questionnaire score.
Getting assessed · 6 min
Right to Choose for ADHD: the England-only route
Right to Choose is an NHS-funded referral route in England only. If your referral is eligible, you can ask your GP to refer you for a first outpatient ADHD assessment to an eligible provider you choose. It does not apply in Scotland, Wales or Northern Ireland, it does not guarantee that a referral is clinically appropriate, and provider status and waits must be checked when you apply.
Getting assessed · 5 min
Private ADHD assessment costs: what you may pay for
Private ADHD assessment fees published by UK providers in our records run £400–£950 for adults (6 sourced figures) and £625–£1,295 for children and young people (4 sourced figures). There is no single UK-wide price, and the headline fee is often not the full cost. Before paying, ask what the fee includes, who conducts the assessment, whether you receive a written report, and what separate charges apply for medication appointments, private prescriptions and ongoing reviews. A private diagnosis does not guarantee NHS shared care.
Treatment · 8 min
ADHD medication UK: titration, review and shared care
In the UK, ADHD medication is initiated by an appropriately qualified specialist after diagnosis. The usual process is initiation, monitored titration, ongoing review and — where both specialist and GP agree — shared-care prescribing. If supply is disrupted, contact the pharmacy and prescriber rather than changing dose, switching medicine or sourcing it elsewhere. This page explains the process, not which medicine or dose is right for you.
Understanding ADHD · 7 min
ADHD symptoms in women: why recognition can come later
ADHD in women is the same neurodevelopmental condition, but recognition can happen later when difficulties are less disruptive to other people or are hidden by compensation. Research and specialist consensus describe under-recognition in girls and women at group level; they do not define one universal female presentation. The useful evidence is a lifelong pattern, its impact across settings and the work required to keep it hidden.
06 — Getting assessed
The three routes to an ADHD assessment in the UK.
NHS referral, Right to Choose and private assessment, compared side by side — including what your GP needs from you and what happens to prescribing afterwards. Local waiting times vary, so we point you to the routes rather than quoting figures we cannot keep current.
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