Norfolk teenage ADHD and autism benefit claims double since 2019

The proportion of 16 and 17-year-olds in Norfolk receiving Personal Independence Payments (PIP) for ADHD and autism has more than doubled since 2019. Across the county's seven districts, the average rate rose from 1.7% in 2019 to 3.6% in 2025.

Data indicates that the steepest increases occurred in the county's most affluent areas. In South Norfolk, the rate more than tripled from 1.1% to 3.5%, while Broadland saw rates nearly triple from 1.1% to 3.1%. These trends have prompted discussions regarding potential over-diagnosis and whether private diagnoses are being used to bypass NHS waiting lists.

While Great Yarmouth remains the district with the highest overall rate—affecting one in 20 teenagers—it recorded one of the smallest increases. Meanwhile, Norwich holds the second-highest rate in the county, rising from 1.9% to 4.5%.