Cost ranges and what's included
The UK private ADHD assessment market has expanded enormously since 2020, creating a wide range of providers — from large telehealth platforms to individual consultant psychiatrists at London clinics. Price is not always a reliable indicator of quality, and the cheapest options are not necessarily adequate. Here is how the market breaks down:
£500–£800 (budget tier). Usually offered by telehealth-first platforms. Assessment is typically conducted via video call, takes 60–90 minutes, and is carried out by a nurse prescriber, psychologist, or associate specialist rather than a consultant psychiatrist. A report is usually provided. The assessment may use validated rating scales but the collateral information process (asking someone who knew you in childhood to complete a questionnaire) may be optional rather than required. These assessments are diagnostically valid if the clinician is appropriately registered and the DSM-5 criteria are clearly documented, but quality control is more variable at this end of the market.
£900–£1,500 (mid-range). This range typically involves a more thorough clinical interview (90–120 minutes), a mandatory collateral information questionnaire, review of any prior medical or psychological history, differential diagnosis consideration, and a detailed report. Many established private ADHD platforms and independent psychiatry groups sit here. Clinicians are usually consultant psychiatrists or experienced specialist nurses.
£1,600–£2,500+ (premium tier). London-based consultant psychiatrists and established psychiatric hospitals. Appointments may include neuropsychological testing, educational history review, and comprehensive multi-session assessments. The additional cost rarely delivers a meaningfully better diagnostic outcome for straightforward adult ADHD — the DSM-5 criteria are the same regardless of clinic. This tier may be worth considering for complex presentations (significant comorbidities, disputed prior diagnoses, medico-legal reports).
Before booking, ask the provider: how long is the assessment; who conducts it and what are their qualifications; is collateral information required; what does the report include; and what is their current wait time.
Titration and ongoing prescription costs
The assessment cost is only the beginning if you need medication. Titration — the process of starting medication, monitoring its effects, and adjusting the dose until a stable effective dose is found — typically requires multiple follow-up appointments. Most adults need between two and six titration appointments before reaching a stable dose, depending on the medication and individual response.
- Follow-up appointment cost: £150–£400 per appointment at most private providers.
- Medication cost: Private prescriptions for methylphenidate (Ritalin, Concerta, Equasym) or lisdexamfetamine (Vyvanse/Elvanse) typically cost £30–£90 per month depending on formulation and dose. This is separate from and in addition to the prescribing appointment fee.
- Ongoing annual review: Most providers require a yearly review (£150–£400) to continue prescribing.
A realistic cost in the first year of treatment — covering assessment, titration, and medication — is £1,500–£4,000 for a mid-range private pathway. This is why understanding the NHS shared-care route before starting is financially important.
If your GP agrees to a shared-care agreement after titration is complete, prescribing moves to an NHS prescription (currently £9.90 per item, or free with a Prescription Prepayment Certificate). Annual reviews may still need to go back to the private provider if the GP practice does not offer NHS ADHD reviews, though some ICBs have commissioned local review services.
Private health insurance
Some policies do cover private ADHD assessment. The key things to check in your policy schedule are:
- Psychiatric outpatient benefit: ADHD assessments are typically billed as psychiatric outpatient appointments. Check whether your policy has an annual limit on outpatient mental health consultations (commonly 8–10 sessions per year).
- Pre-existing condition exclusions: If you have previously been referred for ADHD, or have noted symptoms in a GP consultation, the insurer may classify ADHD as a pre-existing condition and exclude it entirely.
- Moratorium underwriting: Many policies use moratorium underwriting, which automatically excludes conditions that arose in the 5 years before the policy started. ADHD — particularly if you have had any symptoms recorded — often falls into this exclusion.
- GP referral requirement: Most insurers require a GP referral letter before the insured appointment, even for mental health.
Call your insurer before booking and ask specifically whether an ADHD psychiatric assessment is covered under your current policy. Get confirmation in writing. Do not assume coverage from the policy documents alone — exclusions are applied at claims stage.
What a good assessment looks like
NICE guideline NG87 sets the standard for ADHD assessment in the UK. A private assessment claiming to follow best practice should include all of the following:
- A structured clinical interview covering symptom onset in childhood (DSM-5 requires symptoms present before age 12), current symptoms across multiple settings, and impact on daily functioning.
- Validated rating scales — typically the Adult ADHD Self-Report Scale (ASRS-v1.1) and ideally an observer/informant rating such as the Conners Adult ADHD Rating Scales.
- Collateral information: a questionnaire completed by someone who knew you in childhood and/or someone who sees you regularly now. A diagnosis made without any collateral information carries more diagnostic uncertainty.
- Differential diagnosis: the clinician should consider whether symptoms might be explained by anxiety disorder, depression, autism, sleep disorder, or thyroid dysfunction, and document their reasoning.
- A written report clearly documenting which DSM-5 criteria were met (or not), the collateral information reviewed, and the clinical rationale for the diagnosis.
Be wary of any provider offering a diagnosis in under 45 minutes, without requesting any collateral information, or without issuing a written report. A valid diagnosis requires proper documentation — both for your GP's shared-care request and for any future PIP or Access to Work application.
The free NHS alternative: Right to Choose
Many patients are not aware that NHS Right to Choose — the legal right under the NHS Constitution for England to pick your first outpatient provider — applies to ADHD assessments. Several of the large private ADHD providers (including Psychiatry UK, ADHD 360, and others) hold NHS Standard Contracts as Right to Choose providers. When your GP refers you via the NHS e-Referral Service to one of these providers, the assessment, diagnosis, and titration are entirely NHS-funded — no cost to you.
The process is identical clinically. The same psychiatrists and nurse specialists conduct NHS Right to Choose assessments and private self-pay assessments. The difference is funding: under Right to Choose, your ICB pays the provider; under private self-pay, you do.
The main trade-off is waiting time. Right to Choose waiting times, while typically shorter than local NHS ADHD services, may be several months for some providers. Self-pay private appointments can often be booked within weeks. If waiting time is the deciding factor, it is worth checking current Right to Choose waiting times before assuming self-pay is the only option — they change frequently and some providers have considerably shorter NHS waits than others at any given time.
To access Right to Choose, ask your GP to refer you via the NHS e-Referral Service to your chosen provider's NHS ADHD pathway. Your GP cannot refuse on grounds of cost or preference for a different provider. See our Right to Choose for ADHD guide for the exact wording to use.
Shared-care issues after a private diagnosis
Even after a self-funded private assessment, you are entitled to seek a shared-care agreement from your GP so that ongoing prescribing moves to an NHS prescription. A private diagnosis made by a GMC-registered psychiatrist is clinically valid. Your GP cannot dismiss it or require you to be re-assessed on the NHS before agreeing shared care.
Some GP practices have tried to distinguish between private diagnoses and NHS-pathway diagnoses when considering shared-care requests. There is no clinical or contractual basis for this distinction. If your GP refuses shared care solely because your diagnosis was privately funded, that refusal is challengeable under NICE NG87 and the NHS Standard Contract. See our shared-care agreements guide for the exact escalation steps.
Frequently asked questions
›How much does a private ADHD assessment cost in the UK?
Prices range from around £500 for a basic single-clinician assessment with a smaller provider, up to £2,500 or more at a London psychiatry clinic. Most mid-range providers charge £800–£1,500 for the assessment itself. Titration (finding the right medication and dose) is almost always charged separately, typically £150–£400 per follow-up appointment, and you may need 2–6 appointments before reaching a stable dose.
›Does private ADHD assessment include medication?
No. The assessment covers diagnosis only. If medication is recommended, you will normally receive a private prescription initially (£30–£80 per month for the medication itself, plus the cost of each follow-up prescribing appointment). Once titration is complete and you are on a stable dose, some GP practices will take over prescribing via an NHS shared-care agreement, moving you to a free NHS prescription.
›Can I get a private ADHD assessment on insurance?
Some private health insurers — including Bupa, AXA Health and Aviva — cover psychiatric assessments including ADHD, but coverage varies significantly by policy. Check your policy schedule for 'psychiatric outpatient benefit' and 'mental health consultations'. Pre-existing conditions are frequently excluded. You may need a GP referral letter even for an insured appointment.
›Is a private ADHD diagnosis valid on the NHS?
Yes. A diagnosis made by a GMC-registered psychiatrist is clinically valid regardless of whether the appointment was NHS or private. Your GP is not entitled to dismiss or 're-diagnose' you, though they may request sight of the assessment report. Shared-care agreements can follow from a private diagnosis, though some GPs are reluctant — see our shared-care guide for how to handle that.
›What's the difference between a private assessment and an NHS Right to Choose assessment?
Both result in a valid diagnosis. An NHS Right to Choose assessment is free at the point of use — it is NHS-funded care, with the provider paid by your ICB. A private assessment costs £500–£2,500 out of pocket. The clinical process is broadly similar. The main practical difference is that Right to Choose waiting times, while shorter than local NHS waits, may still be several months; private self-pay appointments can sometimes be booked within weeks.
›What should a good private ADHD assessment include?
A thorough assessment should include: a structured clinical interview (at minimum 60–90 minutes) covering childhood and adult symptoms; validated rating scales such as the ASRS-v1.1 and Conners; collateral information (usually a questionnaire for a partner, parent, or close contact who knew you as a child); review of any relevant history; differential diagnosis consideration (ruling out anxiety, mood disorder, autism); and a written report with DSM-5 criteria clearly referenced. Avoid providers offering 'assessments' of under 45 minutes with no collateral information.