The new figures say nearly two million and a half people in England are likely to have ADHD. (Getty Images)
Nearly 2.5 million people in England are likely to live with an attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD), according to new figures.
This is the first time as an assessment of how often the status of the population may be publicly available.
ADHD is a neur development that affects how people process information, regulate emotions and interact with the world around them. Although the symptoms may differ between children and adults, the root cause remains the same: their brains function differently from those who are not neurodyver.
According to NHS England, about 2498,000 people may have ADHD – including those without diagnosis. Of this issue, approximately 741,000 are children and young people between the ages of five to 24 years.
ADHD is usually not diagnosed in children under five years of age, as some of the features may be part of normal development, but it is estimated that 147,000 preschool children are likely to have a condition.
The number of people waiting for ADHD rating increased by 133,000 between March 2024 and 2025 (PA/NHS England)
The new figures have been developed with the help of estimates from the National Institute of Film and Care (NICE), which suggest that about 3-4% of adults and 5% of children and young people in England have a condition.
The numbers also emphasize increasing pressure on health services, revealing that as of March 2025, over 549,000 people in England expected to wait for ADHD assessment. This is out of 416,000 people who waited at the end of March 2024.
Chris again host the documentary in our ADHD minds, which explores the live experiences of people with ADHD. (Getty Images)
The findings follow the release of Chris Pakham’s new documentary in our Adhd Minds, which aired on May 12. In the film, the 64-year-old television operator, who was diagnosed with autism at 44, examines the live experiences of people with ADHD and criticizes those who reject the condition as a fad.
During an interview with Good Morning Britain to promote the show, nature and nature photographer said, “Nowadays there is a tendency to say,” Well, I think I’m a little autistic, a little adhd, they are few of these things, but they are real.
How can ADHD affect people?
People with ADHD can have problems with things such as concentration and organization. They can also have signs of hyperactivity, such as feeling restless, have high energy levels, be more evident or make impulsive decisions.
“ADHD can significantly affect people’s lives,” explains Tom Houcroft of the ADHD Foundation. “Understanding its impacts and the implementation of effective management strategies can significantly improve daily functioning and overall well -being.
“The diagnosis of ADHD offers a valuable idea of personal behavior and challenges. By recognizing ADHD’s versatile impact and applying personalized management strategies, people can improve their daily functioning and quality of life.”
6 Common ways that adhd can affect your life
ADHD can affect your focus, time management and organization skills, but there are strategies that help improve it. (Getty Images)
Lack of concentration at work
Howcroft says ADHD can lead to difficulty concentration, organization and tasks that can influence your school or workplace.
The best practice for dealing with the times when you feel easily distracted is to break the tasks of more manageable pieces, advises how Howcroft, so the focus is only required for a short period of time.
Techniques such as the Pomodoro method (25 minutes of work followed by a five -minute break) can be useful.
Struggling with social interactions
ADHD can make it difficult for the formation and maintenance of friendships, says Howcroft, due to lack of impulse control and hyperactivity. It may be useful to find support groups or community of people who understand and may even live with ADHD.
Howcroft also recommends consulting and coaching that can provide personalized strategies to help deal with the diagnosis process and how to work with your neurodyver brain.
Increased stress or anxiety
Stress is an inevitable part of our entire lives, but ADHD can lead to a strong sense of low mood or anxiety. “Sustainable stress can exacerbate the symptoms of ADHD, leading to increased anxiety and potential depressive symptoms,” explains Howcroft.
In these circumstances, try to take regular breaks to ground and ease these feelings by going for a walk, doing exercises, spending time outside or with loved ones.
Problems with self -esteem
ADHD can also lead to “multiple challenges and misunderstandings, such as perceived failures due to impulsiveness or disorganization that can affect self -esteem and self -esteem,” says Howcroft.
If you have ADHD, it is important to practice self -esteem and focus on leaning the way your brain works to rethink the fights associated with ADHD.
Organization
It is also known that ADHD leads to “combating planning, prioritizing and performing tasks that can affect personal and professional responsibilities,” says Howcroft.
It can often help relieve your performance tools such as planning, reminders or applications such as a concept or Monday to organize your tasks and track the responsibilities and upcoming deadlines. All this preparation can help reduce the feelings of overcoming or a sense of destruction of juggling your workload or administrator of life.
Managing your time
“People can experience” blindness in time “leading to difficulties in perception and management of time effectively,” Howcroft continues. “Creating consistent daily schedules can provide structure and reduce uncertainty, supporting the tasks and time management.”
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