Wes Streeting orders review of mental health diagnoses as benefit claims soar

5th December 2025

A article at the Guardian on 3 December 2025 point up that changes to the benefits for people with mental health conditions may be going to change.

Health secretary has asked experts to investigate whether normal feelings have become ‘over-pathologised'.

The health secretary, Wes Streeting, has ordered a clinical review of the diagnosis of mental health conditions, according to reports.

Streeting is understood to be concerned about a sharp rise in the number of people making sickness benefits claims because of diagnoses for mental illness, autism and attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD), the Times reported.

He has asked leading experts to investigate whether normal feelings have become "over-pathologised", the newspaper said, as he seeks to grapple with the 4.4 million working-age people now claiming sickness or incapacity benefit.

The figure has risen by 1.2 million since 2019, while the number of 16 to 34-year-olds off work with long-term sickness because of a mental health condition is said to have grown rapidly in the same period.

Streeting told the Times he knew from "personal experience how devastating it can be for people who face poor mental health, have ADHD or autism and can't get a diagnosis or the right support".

He added: "I also know, from speaking to clinicians, how the diagnosis of these conditions is sharply rising.

"We must look at this through a strictly clinical lens to get an evidence-based understanding of what we know, what we don't know, and what these patterns tell us about our mental health system, autism and ADHD services.

Read he full article at The Guardian

For analysis a look at Richard Murphy's blog may help understand what may be going on.