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NHS Alliance Warns ADHD and Autism Costs Soar

8/28/2026

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Summary

Story summary

NHS Alliance warns ADHD and autism service spending is spiralling out of control.
One integrated care board’s monthly costs rose from £146,000 in 2024-25 to £1.5 million.
NHS Alliance and the Parliamentary and Health Service Ombudsman demand a tariff and service specification for ADHD and autism care.
Professor Peter Fonagy will lead an independent review of mental health, ADHD and autism, due later this summer.

History

Historical Context

In 2003 the Department of Health’s NHS Plan, launched under Prime Minister Tony Blair, shifted funding from hospitals to community services and added 24-hour mental-health crisis teams. The plan projected a £20 billion annual budget rise by 2023, laying groundwork for today’s integrated care boards that now allocate significant funds to mental-health services, highlighting persistent funding pressures.

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Story summary

NHS Alliance warns ADHD and autism service spending is spiralling out of control.
One integrated care board’s monthly costs rose from £146,000 in 2024-25 to £1.5 million.
NHS Alliance and the Parliamentary and Health Service Ombudsman demand a tariff and service specification for ADHD and autism care.
Professor Peter Fonagy will lead an independent review of mental health, ADHD and autism, due later this summer.

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