FOI reference: FOI-2026-3351
You asked
I am writing to make a request for information under the Freedom of Information Act 2000 regarding the prevalence of neurodivergence among the adult population in the United Kingdom.
I would like to request the latest available datasets or recorded figures for the following categories:
Total Estimated Population: The most recent estimate for the total number of adults (aged 18+) in the UK diagnosed with, or estimated to have, one or more neurodivergent conditions.
Condition-Specific Data: If a total figure is unavailable, please provide the latest figures held by the ONS for adults with:
- Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD)
- Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD)
- Dyslexia, Dyspraxia, or other specific learning difficulties
Data Source: Confirmation of whether these figures are derived from the 2021 Census, the Annual Population Survey, or external datasets such as the Adult Psychiatric Morbidity Survey (APMS).
Co-occurrence: Any available data on the number of individuals reported to have more than one neurodivergent condition.
If the ONS does not hold this information in its entirety, I would appreciate it if you could direct me to the correct department or public body (e.g., NHS England or DHSC) that maintains these specific clinical or diagnostic records.
We said
Thank you for your request.
We do not hold official clinical or diagnostic records for neurodivergent conditions. Our data on health conditions is collected through surveys and is based on self-reported responses (or proxy reporting), rather than clinical diagnosis.
1. Total Estimated Population
We do not produce a single figure for the total number of adults diagnosed with, or estimated to have, one or more neurodivergent conditions. However, the Annual Population Survey (APS) includes a health variable (HEAL20) which allows respondents to report long-term health conditions. Responses 14 and 18 within this variable relate to autism and ADHD. These are multi-response categories, meaning individuals can report one or both conditions.
Please note:
These figures are self-reported and may not align exactly with your requested categories.
We do not capture dyslexia, dyspraxia, or other specific learning difficulties in our datasets.
The most recent APS data available covers October 2024 to September 2025. A table based on this period can be provided free of charge. If you require a longer time series or additional breakdowns, this may be subject to our usual charging regime.
2. Condition-Specific Data
We do not hold separate official prevalence estimates for ADHD, dyslexia, dyspraxia, or other learning difficulties. The only neurodivergent condition captured in our surveys is autism (and ADHD via HEAL20). Previous autism prevalence tables were produced by our Life Course team, but we do not hold updated editions of this analysis.
3. Data Source
The figures described in answer to Qs 1 and 2 are derived from the Annual Population Survey (APS). They are not based on the 2021 Census, which did not include questions on neurodivergent conditions. For clinical or diagnostic data, NHS Digital and the Department of Health and Social Care (DHSC) may hold relevant information, particularly for England.
4. Co-occurrence
As HEAL20 is a multi-response variable, we can provide counts for individuals reporting both autism and ADHD. However, we do not hold data on co-occurrence with other conditions such as dyslexia or dyspraxia.
If you would like us to produce a table based on APS data, please email socialsurveys@ons.gov.uk. Please note, such services are subject to legal frameworks, resources and agreement of costs.
For clinical prevalence data, we recommend contacting:
NHS Digital (England-specific datasets)
Department of Health and Social Care (DHSC) for wider UK health statistics