Across England, a striking inversion has emerged in the geography of disability claims: it is the prosperous towns, not the struggling ones, where young people are most rapidly gaining recognition and support for ADHD and autism. Since the pandemic, the architecture of diagnosis — long NHS queues, costly private shortcuts, and a labyrinthine claims process — has quietly sorted access by wealth, raising a question as old as public medicine itself: does a system designed for all serve those who need it most?
Affluent areas see fastest growth in young people's ADHD and autism disability claims
Young people with ADHD and autism in deprived areas face delayed diagnoses and reduced access to disability support compared to affluent peers, perpetuating health inequality.