Nigel Farage has provoked a storm of criticism from charities, campaigners, and political opponents after claiming that family doctors are “massively overdiagnosing” children with special educational needs and disabilities (SEND).
Speaking in Dover ahead of next week’s local elections, the Reform UK leader said that soaring numbers of SEND diagnoses were creating a “class of victims” and suggested that many assessments, particularly those conducted over Zoom, were flawed. Farage argued that GPs were too close to families and that diagnoses should be handled independently.
“So many of these diagnoses — for SEND before 18, for disability register after 18 — have been conducted on Zoom, with the family GP,” he said. “I think that is a massive mistake. I think we are massively over-diagnosing those with mental illness problems and other general behavioural disabilities.”
His comments sparked immediate backlash. Mel Merritt, head of policy and campaigns at the National Autistic Society, called Farage’s remarks “wildly inaccurate” and “fake news”.
“For the record, absolutely no one has got an autism diagnosis through the GP — this is just incorrect,” she said. “Children with SEND and disabled adults, including autistic people, are not victims who are being ‘over diagnosed’. They are people who face huge delays and long fights to get the most basic support.”
She urged politicians to “stand up for their autistic and other disabled constituents” rather than scoring political points.
The number of children in England with an education, health and care plan (EHCP) has risen by 180,000 since 2018, with nearly 5 per cent of all pupils now holding one. A further 1.24 million children are receiving SEND support without an EHCP, prompting warnings from council leaders of “unmanageable” deficits and a broken system. Parliament’s spending watchdog recently described the SEND support process as “chaotic”.
Farage’s critics say his remarks ignore the lived reality of families navigating a failing system. Liberal Democrat education spokesperson Munira Wilson said Farage was “laying the groundwork to axe crucial special needs provision”.
“If Nigel Farage had spent any time speaking to parents in his constituency, he’d know he’s barking up the wrong tree,” she said. “The special needs crisis needs urgent repair — not his lazy rhetoric.”
Michelle Carson, Chairwoman and Founder of Holmes Noble, also rebuked Farage’s remarks in a powerful statement. “Difference is not a weakness. It’s our greatest untapped strength,” she said. “Farage’s claim that Britain is becoming a ‘class of victims’ isn’t just offensive — it’s dangerously out of touch. Neurodivergent people are not a burden. They are a competitive advantage. Failing to recognise that holds us all back.”
As an autistic person and business leader, Carson said she had seen firsthand how embracing neurodivergent talent can drive innovation, growth and leadership across UK industries.
“Far from being ‘victims’, neurodivergent people are solving complex problems, asking hard questions, and spotting patterns others might miss. They are creatives, analysts, inventors, entrepreneurs,” she said. “Farage’s comments perpetuate stigma, silence valuable voices, and send the damaging message that asking for understanding is a weakness. It isn’t.”
As families continue to struggle with long delays and a postcode lottery in access to SEND support, campaigners warn that such rhetoric risks compounding an already broken system — and deterring those in need from seeking help.
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Farage condemned by charities for ‘damaging’ claims on overdiagnosis of children with disabilities