{"id":125802,"date":"2026-09-22T13:45:00","date_gmt":"2026-09-22T12:45:00","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/en.econostrum.info\/uk\/?p=125802"},"modified":"2026-09-22T13:43:28","modified_gmt":"2026-09-22T12:43:28","slug":"pip-boom-more-teens-rich-uk-adhd-autism","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/en.econostrum.info\/uk\/pip-boom-more-teens-rich-uk-adhd-autism\/","title":{"rendered":"The Unexpected PIP Boom: Why More Teens In Rich UK Areas Are Claiming Support For ADHD And Autism"},"content":{"rendered":"\n

The figures from the Nuffield Trust<\/strong> show a shift in the relationship between disability benefit claims and deprivation, with affluent areas recording sharper rises since 2019. Researchers said differences in access to diagnosis and support may help explain the pattern.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

PIP is designed to help people with long-term health conditions or disabilities with extra living costs and daily activities. It is awarded based on how a condition affects everyday life rather than simply whether someone has a diagnosis.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Claims Rise Across England, With the Strongest Growth in Affluent Areas<\/strong><\/h2>\n\n\n\n

According to the Nuffield Trust analysis, the proportion of 16 and 17-year-olds receiving PIP for ADHD and autism in England rose from 1.3% in 2019 to 3.4% in 2025. The number of young people in this age group receiving the benefit increased from 16,045 to 51,148 over the same period.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The pattern differed between areas with different levels of deprivation<\/strong>. In the least deprived fifth of neighbourhoods, the proportion receiving PIP for these conditions rose from 0.8% in 2019 to 2.5% in 2025, more than tripling. In the most deprived fifth, rates remained higher overall, rising from 2.1% to 5.1%.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The Nuffield Trust<\/a> reported that some affluent areas experienced particularly large rises. In Runnymede, Surrey<\/strong>, the rate went from one in 58 teenagers in 2019 to one in 19 in 2025. Bracknell Forest in Berkshire saw its rate rise from one in 89 to one in 20.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The analysis also found that the overall gap between more and less deprived areas had narrowed because growth was faster in wealthier neighbourhoods. According to the report, this pattern was specific to ADHD and autism-related PIP claims and was not seen in the same way for conditions including learning disabilities, depression, anxiety or physical health conditions.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\"\"
By 2025, PIP uptake had risen moderately overall, but the increase was greater among people living in more deprived areas. \u00a9Nuffield Trust<\/em><\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n\n\n

Researchers Point to Diagnosis Access and Differences in Support Systems<\/strong><\/h2>\n\n\n\n

The Nuffield Trust said the rise may partly reflect unequal access to diagnosis. Sally Gainsbury<\/a>, senior policy analyst at the organisation, said areas with higher proportions of white residents had higher levels of PIP recipients for ADHD and autism, adding that this was associated with faster growth in relatively prosperous areas.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Researchers said wealthier families may have greater ability to access private assessments <\/a>and navigate the benefits system. According to the Nuffield Trust, differences in access to diagnostic services may contribute to lower-than-expected PIP rates in some ethnically diverse areas, including Newham, Brent, Leicester, Bradford and Wolverhampton.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The report also highlighted wider pressure on health services <\/strong>as demand for ADHD and autism assessments has risen. Gainsbury said the findings could reflect growing recognition of neurodiversity, but also uncertainty about how disability is assessed and supported.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

A government-commissioned review into ADHD, autism and mental health services is expected to examine how support can be provided according to individual needs. The review follows wider discussion about rising demand for assessments and the role of diagnosis in accessing services.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

According to the Nuffield Trust, spending on PIP for 16 and 17-year-olds with ADHD and autism was estimated at \u00a3296 million<\/strong> in 2025. Around \u00a387 million of this was paid to young people living in the 40% least deprived neighbourhoods.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

New analysis has found that the fastest growth in young people receiving Personal Independence Payment (PIP) for ADHD and autism has occurred in some of England\u2019s least deprived neighbourhoods.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":10,"featured_media":125805,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[46],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-125802","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-social-welfare","generate-columns","tablet-grid-50","mobile-grid-100","grid-parent","grid-33","no-featured-image-padding"],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/en.econostrum.info\/uk\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/125802","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/en.econostrum.info\/uk\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/en.econostrum.info\/uk\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/en.econostrum.info\/uk\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/10"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/en.econostrum.info\/uk\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=125802"}],"version-history":[{"count":3,"href":"https:\/\/en.econostrum.info\/uk\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/125802\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":125835,"href":"https:\/\/en.econostrum.info\/uk\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/125802\/revisions\/125835"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/en.econostrum.info\/uk\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/125805"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/en.econostrum.info\/uk\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=125802"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/en.econostrum.info\/uk\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=125802"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/en.econostrum.info\/uk\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=125802"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}