Health Secretary Wes Streeting ordered a formal review of mental health diagnoses amid welfare reform efforts, citing a sharp rise in sickness benefits claims linked to mental illness, autism, and ADHD.

Professor Fonagy said the team will explore drivers of rising demand by incorporating research, lived experience, and frontline clinical perspectives to ground the assessment.

The Times reports the review is set to launch this Thursday, signaling a formal government review rather than a policy announcement.

Streeting stressed the broader aim of transforming welfare to reduce poverty and prevent people from being trapped in unemployment.

The review seeks to overhaul the NHS mental health system to provide support before crises and while individuals can still work, potentially influencing future welfare and health policy decisions.

Experts emphasize that causes are multifaceted—from social media and economic pressures to school stress—sparking debate over possible overdiagnosis, though many health leaders argue rising needs are real and require timely expansion of support.

The review aims to provide an evidence-based understanding of diagnostic trends to ensure timely, accurate diagnoses and effective support, and to inform welfare policy.

Nearly one in four adults in England have a common mental health condition, with 8.9 million people on antidepressants, up from 6.9 million a decade ago, prompting concern from Streeting.