US Edition
The number of children receiving disability benefits has jumped by more than 100,000 over the last two decades after a surge in autism and ADHD cases among boys.
The parents of 190,000 nine to 13 year olds claimed disability benefits on their behalf last year, according to an analysis by the Institute for Fiscal Studies (IFS). The figure was up from 70,000 in 2002.
The analysis of government figures shows one in 14 children in this age group are now receiving disability benefits.
The proportion has more than doubled over the last 20 years and is expected to keep rising.
While disability claims have risen among nearly every group below pension age, the IFS said the most significant uptick was among children.
Tom Waters, of the IFS, said: “We’ve seen over the course of a couple of decades a really substantial rise in the fraction of kids that get disability benefits.
“It’s driven by increasing claims for learning and behavioural disorders like ADHD and autism.”
The rise in disability benefits paid on behalf of children was particularly concentrated among boys who accounted for three-quarters of claims, Mr Waters said.
He added: “Why the number of claims for learning behavioural problems are on the rise is less clear.”
Experts say schools, doctors and parents have become better at spotting the signs of attention deficit disorders and autism.
The surge in diagnosis has fuelled a sharp rise in the benefits bill, with government spending on disability support for children doubling in only a decade. It has risen from £1.8bn to a projected £3.6bn in the 12 months to March 2024.
The Office for Budget Responsibility predicts this figure will rise even further to £5bn by 2027-2028.
The IFS said mental health issues among young people, which were already rising before Covid, have also soared even further in the wake of the pandemic.
One in five girls aged 16 were in contact with NHS mental health services last year, nearly twice the rate from before Covid.
The findings were contained in the IFS Deaton Review of Inequalities, a five-year project overseen by Scottish Nobel Prize winning economist professor Sir Angus Deaton.
Alex Beer at the Nuffield Foundation, which is funding the project, said: “This report shines a light on increasing disability rates, related risks to people’s well-being, and their connection to some of the most pressing social and economic concerns in the UK.
“These include the pressure on public services from mental health services, to social care for older people.”