Therapists say NHS waits and private assessment costs are the real barrier to an ADHD or autism diagnosis

In 2026, BACP asked its members what was actually stopping clients getting an ADHD or autism diagnosis, and nearly all of them pointed to the same thing: the wait. This includes practices like yours, if you work with anyone stuck in limbo before a diagnosis, or before treatment can properly begin.

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Therapy practices handling referrals for ADHD or autism assessment will recognise this immediately, and the wait itself shapes how those clients experience everything that comes before and after it.

Original ResearchBACP polled its own members on what's blocking clients from getting an ADHD or autism diagnosis
Sourcehttps://www.bacp.co.uk/news/news-from-bacp/2026/1-june-increase-choice-and-access-to-therapy-to-address-rise-in-mental-health-diagnoses/
OverviewThe survey fed into BACP's official response to the UK government's independent review of mental health, ADHD and autism diagnosis, gathering barriers straight from therapists doing the referring.
Year2026
PublisherIndustry body, BACP
Relevance to WellbeingDirectly relevant to any therapy practice handling ADHD or autism referrals, since it describes the exact bottleneck your clients are already stuck in.
Our VerdictToo early to tell Credible source on a real problem, but the sample is small and the underlying survey hasn't been published in full.
Our Summary
  • 97.1% named long waiting times as the main barrier, which matches what most therapists already suspected.
  • Only 207 people answered, so treat the exact percentages as a temperature check rather than a national statistic.
  • It gives you a straightforward, citable reason to flag referral delays honestly with clients rather than pretending the system is quick.
  • The full survey hasn't been published separately, so there's no way to check the methodology beyond BACP's own summary.
Our Geo ViewApplies to the UK only, since this concerns NHS assessment waiting lists and referral pathways specific to the UK health system.
Abstract of wellbeing niches and revenue flow
Recognise how this might impact your practice

Why this might matter to you

  • Coaching: this matters because a client waiting eighteen months for an ADHD assessment is still your client in the meantime, whatever the paperwork says.
  • Therapy: this matters because referral pathways are your daily reality, and this is the first time anyone's put a number on how broken they feel.
  • Training: this matters because someone blaming themselves for "poor focus" might simply be stuck on a two-year waiting list.
  • Alternative Healing: this matters because clients who can't get a formal diagnosis quickly often come to you instead, hoping someone will finally take them seriously.
  • Clinical: this matters because private assessment isn't cheap and the NHS route isn't quick, so clinics feel both ends of the squeeze first.
  • Retreat/Centre: this matters because a guest managing undiagnosed ADHD or autism needs different support to one with a formal diagnosis, and most of them don't have one.

Where this came from

BACP asked its own members what stands between clients and an ADHD or autism diagnosis, then used the answers to make its case to government.

BACP, published 1 June 2026, via bacp.co.uk.

Credibility flags: member survey, n=207, methodology summarised by BACP but the full survey has not been published separately.

How we scored this

A relevance score out of 100, built from three things: how well it fits the six practice types, how recent it is, and how solid the methodology behind it is.

85%
Practice fit, 100How new, 100How solid, 50

Marked high for practice fit and recency, since this sits squarely within therapy and is brand new, but marked down on how solid the method is, given the small sample and the fact it hasn't been published in full.

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It's worth considering changes to your marketing practices

What this means for your marketing

  • Put a line about referral waits on any ADHD or autism-adjacent service page, before anyone has to ask.
  • Brief your front desk on what to say when someone mentions an eighteen-month waiting list, so nobody's caught out.
  • Say plainly, if it's true, that you can work alongside an unclear or pending diagnosis.
  • Mention the cost of private assessment honestly in your FAQ, rather than letting people find out mid-enquiry.
  • Check your referral partner list this week, in case the waits have got longer since you last looked.

Who this is most useful for

Practice typeRelevanceRecommended action
CoachingMediumMention flexible support for clients awaiting diagnosis.
TherapyHighUpdate referral pathway and waiting list guidance.
TrainingLowNote it as background context, not a marketing hook.
Alternative HealingMediumPosition as interim support, carefully, without claiming to diagnose.
ClinicalHighReview intake process for undiagnosed ADHD or autism clients.
Retreat/CentreLowOptional mention in accessibility or inclusion information.

Best before

Best before: revisit once BACP publishes the full survey or the independent review reports back, whichever happens first.

What next?

Anyone who's ever had to tell a client "it's an eighteen month wait" already knows exactly the tension this survey is describing.

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