The price range for private ADHD assessments in the UK
Private adult ADHD assessments in the UK currently range from under £400 to over £1,500 for a single assessment. This is an exceptionally wide range for what is nominally the same service, and understanding what accounts for it is more useful than focusing on the number alone.
At the lower end of the market, assessments are typically conducted by mental health nurses or other non-medical clinicians, delivered through high-volume online platforms, and involve minimal clinical time per patient. At the higher end, assessments are conducted by consultant psychiatrists with specialist training in adult ADHD, involve a full clinical interview, and produce comprehensive written reports suitable for sharing with GPs, employers, universities, and the DVLA.
Most consultant psychiatrist-led private ADHD assessments fall in the range of £700 to £1,200. Distinct charges £799 as a fixed all-inclusive fee. Assessments in the £400 to £700 range are typically delivered by psychologists or experienced mental health nurses, often with consultant oversight but not with the consultant conducting the assessment. Assessments below £400 should be understood to represent a meaningfully different clinical product.
What drives the cost variation?
The primary driver of price variation is the seniority of the clinician conducting the assessment. This is not a minor distinction. A consultant psychiatrist is the highest grade of medical specialist in the UK psychiatric system, typically representing over a decade of postgraduate training beyond medical school and specialist registration with the Royal College of Psychiatrists. Their time costs significantly more than that of a nurse or a psychologist, and that cost is reflected in the price of the assessment.
Secondary factors include the amount of clinical time spent per patient, the comprehensiveness of the assessment (whether it includes a full diagnostic interview or a shorter questionnaire-based approach), the quality and length of the written report produced, and the operating costs of the platform or clinic. High-volume online platforms can offer lower prices partly because they process more patients per clinician per day, which reduces time per patient.
Geography also plays a smaller but real role. London-based in-person assessments tend to be at the higher end of the range, while fully remote services can pass on some savings from not maintaining physical premises.
Why clinician grade matters
A consultant psychiatrist brings to the assessment not just a higher level of training but a significantly broader clinical perspective. ADHD in adults has substantial overlap with anxiety, depression, bipolar disorder, autism spectrum conditions, and personality difficulties. Distinguishing between these conditions, and identifying where more than one is present, requires the kind of clinical judgment that specialist psychiatry training provides. A nurse or psychologist conducting an ADHD assessment is working within a narrower clinical frame.
This matters practically for GP acceptance. Many GPs are more confident acting on a report from a consultant psychiatrist than on one from a less senior clinician, particularly for initiating shared care prescribing. Some GPs have declined to engage with reports from nurse-led services, leaving patients with a diagnosis that is clinically valid but practically unusable for the purposes they sought it for.
The question to ask of any assessment service is not just who conducts the assessment but who is responsible for the clinical decision. Some services describe themselves as consultant-led when a consultant reviews or countersigns the report without having conducted the clinical interview. That is materially different from a consultant psychiatrist conducting the assessment directly.
"The relevant question is not what the assessment costs but what it produces. A diagnosis that works (accepted by your GP, suitable for your employer, valid for the DVLA) is worth considerably more than one that isn't."
What is included in the quoted price?
What is included in an assessment price varies considerably between providers, and comparing headline prices without checking what is covered can be misleading. The components that should be included as standard are: the pre-assessment questionnaire or materials, the clinical consultation itself, the written diagnostic report, and the GP letter.
Some providers charge additionally for the written report, for the GP letter, for employer or university letters, or for follow-up consultations to discuss results. These add-ons can meaningfully increase the total cost above the advertised price.
Distinct charges a single fixed fee of £799 that includes everything: pre-assessment materials, the 60 to 90 minute consultant psychiatrist consultation, and the full written report with GP letter. Supporting letters for employers or universities are available on request. There are no add-ons and no hidden fees.
The hidden costs of a low-quality assessment
The cheapest assessment is not always the best value, and in some cases it represents poor value in ways that are not obvious at the point of purchase. If a GP declines to act on a private diagnosis because the assessing clinician is not sufficiently senior, the patient may need to seek a second assessment from a consultant psychiatrist. That second assessment typically costs more than it would have cost to go directly to a higher-quality service in the first place.
There is also the time cost of waiting: several months for an assessment, several more for a GP to decline, and then several more for a second assessment. For someone who is struggling significantly and who sought a private assessment specifically to avoid an NHS waiting list, that delay represents a real and significant cost.
A more detailed account of this question is in our guide to why the cheapest assessment might be the most expensive mistake.
Distinct charges £799, all inclusive.
Consultant psychiatrist-led. Full report within 7 days. No referral needed.
Insurance and receipts
Some private health insurance policies cover psychiatric assessments, which could include ADHD assessments. Whether yours does depends on your specific policy, and the insurer will typically require pre-authorisation before you proceed. It is worth checking with your insurer before booking.
Distinct provides a formal receipt for every assessment, suitable for submitting to an insurer. Payment can be spread using Klarna at the time of booking for those who would prefer not to pay the full amount upfront.
Is a private ADHD assessment worth the cost?
For people who are waiting years for an NHS assessment and are experiencing significant difficulties in the meantime, private assessment represents a meaningful shortcut to support, medication, and documentation. The alternative is waiting, and for many people the cost of waiting in terms of their work, relationships, and wellbeing substantially exceeds the financial cost of the assessment.
For people who are not experiencing significant difficulties, or for whom the financial cost would represent genuine hardship, waiting for the NHS route remains a reasonable option. A detailed discussion of this question is in our guide to whether a private ADHD diagnosis is worth it.
Prices quoted in this article reflect the UK private ADHD assessment market as of April 2026. Market prices change and individual providers may vary. Always confirm current pricing directly with any provider before booking.