Research* commissioned by restaurateur and chef Heston Blumenthal OBE, who has been diagnosed with ADHD and bipolar, finds more than one in ten (11%) people in the UK have been officially diagnosed as neurodivergent**, of which 21% are neither in full- nor part-time paid employment.
The survey of over 1,000 people finds that of those who are neurodiverse, more than half (56%) are in full-time employment and 23% work part-time. The remaining 21% have no paid work.
When asked if those who are neurodivergent work part-time because they have struggled to find full-time positions due to their diagnoses, 24% agree this was the case, 67% say no, while 9% prefer not to say.
This figure rises considerably for male respondents. Two-fifths (40%) of men say they are working part-time because they could not find full-time employment as a neurodivergent person. Eighteen per cent of neurodiverse women say the same.
The research reveals that the majority of respondents who are neurodivergent did not receive a diagnosis until they reached their late teens.
Almost (23%) were aged between five and 15 years old when they received a diagnosis. Meanwhile 17% were aged between 15 and 20 years old; 31% were between 20 and 40; 8% were 40 to 50 years old and 7% were over 50.
The survey also finds more than one in ten (13%) of respondents think they are neurodivergent but are yet to be diagnosed. Two-thirds (67%) say they do not think they have a condition while 21% are unsure. The percentage of undiagnosed individuals was much higher for women (16%) than men (8%).
Of those who are yet to be diagnosed but think they are neurodivergent, almost three-quarters (74%) work for an organisation, 9% work for themselves, while 18% are unemployed.
Heston Blumenthal OBE, whose restaurants include the three-Michelin-star Fat Duck, the two-Michelin-starred Dinner by Heston Blumenthal and Dinner by Heston Blumenthal Dubai, the Michelin-starred Hinds Head and the Perfectionists’ Café, said: “It is extremely disappointing that so many people in the UK who are neurodivergent are struggling to find paid employment. These are individuals who are likely to have specialist skills that will enhance a workforce and improve productivity. UK business is really missing out by not doing more to make it easier for people with neurodiverse conditions to contribute.”
Blumenthal added: “The research also reveals a worrying number of people who believe they are neurodivergent but have not been diagnosed – and a high number who receive late diagnoses – which suggests they are missing out on vital support. If I had been diagnosed with ADHD and bipolar sooner, I would have really benefited from the help I have since received in understanding my conditions, managing them and channelling all the positive attributes they can bring.”
*Independent consumer research conducted by Viewsbank among a nationally representative sample of 1,072 adults aged 18-plus including 117 people who have an official diagnosis of a neurodiverse condition, and a further 117 people who believe they are neurodivergent, but they don’t have a diagnosis. The survey was conducted between 23rd March and 24th March 2024.
**Neurodivergent includes autistic people, those with attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD), dyslexia, dyspraxia, social anxiety disorders and other conditions.
A seismic shift in accessibility: Inclusive Spaces and Places
