Likely costs

If you’re looking for an ADHD diagnosis through the NHS, there are no direct costs, although waiting times can be long. Alternatively, you could go private for faster results, though this could cost anywhere between a few hundred to thousands of pounds depending on where you are in the UK. If you are on a tight timeline, private assessment offers faster service but can come with ongoing costs for follow-up appointments, medication, and therapy.

If you are in school

Referrals for ADHD assessment can be made by your GP or, in some areas, by your school. Some local authorities require agreement from both before a referral is accepted, so it’s best to start by speaking with one of them to find out what applies in your area.

Schools have a responsibility to support students and provide access to a Special Educational Needs and Disabilities Coordinator (SENDCo), who can offer useful advice about next steps. If you, your teachers, or your parents/carers are concerned about your focus, activity levels, or organisation, your school or GP can help begin the process for an assessment.

You may also be eligible for an education, health, and care plan (EHC plan), which details the support you need and how it will be provided.

The referral will be for an assessment, as ADHD diagnoses have to be certified by a specialist. ADHD assessments are usually done through the NHS mental health service for children and young people, known as CAMHS.

There is no single, definitive test for ADHD. Specialists will base a clinical diagnosis on observations, discussions and questionnaires, and information from your school. These tests may consider how long the behaviours have been present, how much they impact daily life, and whether they might be due to another condition. In some cases, you may be given more than one diagnosis.

Following the NICE guidelines on ADHD, England, Wales, and Northern Ireland provide the right to the provision of an ADHD service. This means that if there is no local provision for an assessment, your local NHS has an obligation to fund you to receive the service elsewhere.

If you feel like you are waiting too long for your ADHD assessment, then you have a legal right to choose an alternative provider.

Private assessments are also available, and can be discussed with your GP, although these assessments tend to be expensive, ranging from hundreds to thousands of pounds.

For pupils wondering about how they will manage exams, access arrangements will need to be made before an examination. The Joint Council for Qualifications (JCQ) lists potential arrangements that could be accessed by students with ADHD, such as supervised rest breaks, extra time, a computer reader, a scribe, a word processor, a prompter, alternative site arrangements, and alternative rooming arrangements.

To be eligible for exam arrangements, the JCQ requires your SENco to ensure that the proposed access arrangement/reasonable adjustment does not unfairly disadvantage or advantage the candidate.

If you are at college

Colleges and Sixth Forms have similar support systems to schools, though they may refer to their SEND departments as Learning Support or Student Support. If you suspect you have ADHD, talk to your Student Support team. They can guide you through the steps to getting assessed.

With a diagnosis, your college can offer similar accommodations as schools, like extra time for assignments or access to learning support services. For exams, the process is the same as in schools, and the Joint Council for Qualifications (JCQ) sets the criteria. As such, the college should be contacted to discuss how arrangements can be made for any exams that will be sat.

If you are in university

At university, managing ADHD can be particularly challenging with larger lectures and less structured learning environments. If you think you have ADHD, your first step should be to visit the university’s disability or student support service. They may refer you to a specialist for assessment.

Universities typically offer a range of support once you have a diagnosis, though you don’t have to wait for a diagnosis to ask for support as, under the Equality Act 2010, you only need to show that you might have a disability affecting your learning. Support could include extra time during exams, access to assistive technology, and note-takers for lectures. It’s also common to receive additional time for assignments.

Having a diagnosis also allows you access to something called the Disabled Students’ Allowance (DSA). This is government funding that students with a diagnosis of ADHD can receive to help pay for any additional support required. The DSA funding guidelines are very specific in what can and can’t be funded, but broadly, for a student with ADHD, the funding could provide some money towards a computer, some software to help with reading, writing, organisation, note taking and revision, some specialist mentoring, plus help with printing costs.

Exam arrangements are managed by each university rather than by an external body, so processes and policies can vary. Some universities may ask for a formal ADHD diagnosis before confirming exam adjustments. However, courses that are accredited by professional bodies – for example Medicine, Nursing, or Veterinary Science – have what are known as competence standards. These are the essential skills and abilities required for professional practice, which means that in some cases certain adjustments may not be possible. Your university’s disability or student support service can explain how these standards apply to your course and help you explore the support that is available.

If you are not in education

If you are not currently in school or university, your first step will be visiting a GP to discuss your symptoms. They can refer you for an ADHD assessment, usually with a psychiatrist, psychologist or specialist nurse. This can be done through the NHS or through private assessment.

If you are based in England, you have the option of using your “Right to Choose” and asking your GP to refer you to a different healthcare provider under the NHS. This is generally used in cases when the waiting list for a provider is taking too long.

Alternatively, you can seek a private assessment. This option is usually taken to avoid waiting lists or if other options are not available to you. They can be expensive, ranging from hundreds to thousands of pounds, and you must be able to pay for any follow-up appointments and treatments such as medication reviews or cognitive behavioural therapy (CBT). In some cases, it may be possible to arrange a shared care agreement with your GP so that they can prescribe medication recommended by a private specialist, but this is not guaranteed and depends on your GP’s discretion and local NHS policy.

Summary

Getting a diagnosis for ADHD is a process which can help get access to resources such as extra time in exams, specialist counselling, and medication. Diagnoses are typically provided by specialists and can be accessed through the NHS, although private assessments are available.

Educational facilities should help you through the process, as well as having systems in place to provide support for students diagnosed with ADHD, including exam accommodations and learning aids.

For individuals not in education, a diagnosis can help them understand how they learn best and the types of support they may benefit from. It can also assist with applications for workplace adjustments through the Access to Work scheme.