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Demographics of referrals not completing/benefitting from NHS Talking Therapies

Data on the number of people with an earliest recorded diagnosis of ADHD or Autism in adulthood from 2016 to 2025.
Date published:
12 October 2026

Request received

Request for data held by NHS England relating to the demographic characteristics of people who do not complete, or do not benefit from, NHS Talking Therapies.

Specifically, the following information, for the most recent full year for which data is held (and, where available, for the preceding 2 years for comparison): 

  1. A demographic breakdown, by age, gender, ethnicity, and Index of Multiple Deprivation (IMD) decile, of:
    • all people who were referred to and started NHS Talking Therapies
    • people who did not complete treatment (Did Not Complete/DNC)
    • people who completed treatment and achieved reliable recovery
    • people who completed treatment but did not achieve reliable recovery 
  2. A demographic breakdown, using the same variables, comparing those who did not complete treatment (DNCs) with those who started treatment, to identify any statistically significant differences in demographic profile between the 2 groups.
  3. Any data held on the reasons recorded for non–completion of treatment, broken down by demographic group where available. 
  4. Any data held on referral source (GP referral vs. self–referral) for people who did not complete treatment, compared with those who did.
  5. Any internal analysis, reports, or briefings produced by NHS England, or commissioned by NHS England, examining which demographic groups are disproportionately represented among non–completers or those who do not achieve reliable recovery through NHS Talking Therapies.

Our response

In response we provided demographic breakdowns of age, gender, ethnicity, index of multiple deprivation decile and referral source (GP vs self) for each of the requested subsets of referrals including:

  • all referrals starting NHS Talking Therapies
  • all referrals that did not complete treatment [excluding those not seen]
  • referrals completing treatment and achieving reliable recovery
  • referrals completing treatment but not achieving reliable recovery.

We further provided reasons for discharge for referrals that did not complete treatment with breakdowns by the same demographics. Analysis of reliable recovery that has been completed by NHS England is available in the NHS Talking Therapies, for anxiety and depression annual reports.

Download the data

Last edited: 12 October 2026 8:38 am