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NHS vs Right to Choose vs private: cost and wait, side by side
A standard NHS adult ADHD assessment in the UK is free but the wait is often the longest, commonly one to several years. NHS Right to Choose in England is also free and can be faster, though waits have grown. A private assessment is usually the quickest, often a few weeks to a few months, but typically costs several hundred to a few thousand pounds. The cost difference buys speed, not a better assessment, since all reputable routes follow the same NICE guidance.
Information only, not medical advice and not a diagnosis. Only a registered clinician can diagnose ADHD. Waits are typical bands, not a quote or a guarantee for your area. Always confirm current cost and wait with the specific provider.
Tune the comparison
Adjusts the NHS and Right to Choose wait bands. Private wait is set by clinic capacity, not your local NHS list.
Sources: published prices at careadhd.co.uk and psychiatry-uk.com, checked 13 June 2026. Plus titration if you take medication.
All three routes at a glance
| Route | Typical cost | Typical wait |
|---|---|---|
| Standard NHS | Free at point of use | |
| NHS Right to Choose | Free at point of use | |
| Private |
Free routes are not a worse assessment, only usually a longer wait. Right to Choose is the free way to often shorten that wait in England.
Next steps: work out whether you need to pay at all, check Right to Choose eligibility, or read how Right to Choose works.
Methodology and sources
NHS and Right to Choose assessments are free at the point of use across the UK (Source: NHS, nhs.uk, checked 13 June 2026). Right to Choose is an England-only legal right to pick an NHS-funded provider (Source: NHS, "Your choices in the NHS", and the Right to Choose framework, checked 13 June 2026).
Wait bands are typical ranges, not a guarantee. There is no single clean national waiting-time figure for adult ADHD assessment, so the bands here are drawn from NHS England referral and waiting data and from ADHD UK waiting-list research (adhduk.co.uk), checked 13 June 2026. The "long" and "shorter" options widen or narrow the band to reflect the wide regional variation. Confirm the real current wait with your provider.
Private cost bands use published example prices from CARE ADHD (from about £399) and Psychiatry-UK (about £950 assessment, about £750 titration), checked 13 June 2026, plus a premium band for higher-priced clinics. These are examples, not quotes. All routes follow NICE NG87, so private is faster, not more valid.
Frequently asked questions
Why do the three routes have such different waits?
Demand for adult ADHD assessment has risen sharply, so standard NHS waiting lists for assessment can run to several years in many areas. Right to Choose lets you pick an NHS-funded provider that may have a shorter list, though those waits have also grown. Private providers usually offer the shortest wait because you are paying for capacity, often a few weeks to a few months.
Are the wait figures exact for my area?
No. Waiting times vary enormously by region, provider and month, and there is no single clean national figure. The ranges here are typical bands drawn from NHS England referral and waiting data and ADHD UK research, checked on 13 June 2026. Always confirm the current wait with your specific provider before deciding.
Is the private cost a one-off?
Not always. The figure shown is the assessment and titration. If your GP agrees shared care after titration, ongoing medication moves to NHS prescription charges. If shared care is declined, you keep paying private prescription and review fees, so the true private cost can be higher than the headline.
This is not a diagnosis and not medical advice. ADHD can only be diagnosed by a registered clinician. If cost is a barrier, the NHS route, including Right to Choose in England, is free at the point of use.
Editor, ADHD Helper
Adam leads ADHD Helper's editorial coverage of adult ADHD, and he writes it from lived experience: Adam has ADHD himself, diagnosed as an adult, and has been through the assessment routes and the daily workarounds this site covers. He is the founder and managing director of Muswell Rose and researches the plain-English explainers on getting an ADHD assessment through NHS Right to Choose or privately, and on the products and tools people use to manage ADHD, drawing on guidance from the NHS, NICE and the Royal College of Psychiatrists. He is clear that the site is information, not medical advice, and that diagnosis is for a registered clinician.
Last reviewed: 20 July 2026