For individuals with attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder (ADHD), managing finances after Christmas can be an ongoing problem. It is referred to as the ADHD tax. ADHD is a neurodevelopmental condition that makes it difficult for individuals to pay attention to details, causing them to lose or misplace items, resulting in additional expenses. The extra costs incurred have been estimated to be impacting hundreds of thousands of people in the UK, with roughly 3% of the country’s population affected by the condition.
People diagnosed with ADHD face a range of problems, such as losing items like tickets, credit cards, keys, and glasses. Rach Idowu, who runs the Adulting with ADHD blog, has lost approximately £4,000 due to such ADHD-related incidents. Among the additional expenditures she incurred as a result of her condition, Rach also talks about the impulsive spending that she is prone to due to ADHD. Professor Amanda Kirby, an ADHD expert who also lives with the disorder, explains this impulsivity as being caused by the neurotransmitter that fails to function correctly, resulting in impulsive behaviour.
Calculating and budgeting can be challenging for people with ADHD, who often have dyscalculia, a condition making it difficult for them to process number-based information. Additionally, many such ADHD patients are prone to online shopping, resulting in unused or unwanted items that are not always returned because of the mental effort required to fill out forms. The use of forums and platforms like Instagram to discuss these issues and solutions has been helpful, and increasingly banks are introducing schemes and features such as instant notifications and specific “pots” to help people with ADHD control their spending behaviour.
Although Rach has found the Monzo app helpful in organising her finances, she has her own solution to reduce her ADHD tax; she has a daily routine of placing her wallet, keys, and other essential items in an old knitting kit box, which she has renamed the Important Box. Despite workarounds such as this, ADHD can still create problematic situations that result in costly consequences. Nonetheless, individuals living with ADHD continue to dive headfirst into exciting experiences, even though they may incur additional expenditures as part of the ADHD tax.
The podcast, Access All, which features Rach Idowu and Professor Amanda Kirby discussing ADHD and the ADHD tax, provides valuable insights into coping mechanisms and solutions. The podcast also includes information and support resources for people living with ADHD
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