Wes Streeting has ordered a review of the diagnosis of mental health conditions as the Government seeks a new means of cracking down on welfare spending, according to reports.

The Health Secretary is concerned about a sharp rise in the number of people making sickness benefits claims because of diagnoses for mental illness, autism and attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD), the Times reported.

Mr Streeting has charged leading experts with finding out whether normal feelings have become “over-pathologised”, the newspaper said, as he seeks to grapple with the 4.4 million working age people now claiming sickness or incapacity benefit.

The figure has risen by 1.2 million since 2019 while the number of 16 to 34-year-olds off work with long-term sickness because of a mental health co

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