Dyslexia assessment in the UK: who does it, what it involves and what happens next

The NHS describes dyslexia as a common learning difficulty where your brain works differently to most people. It mainly affects things like reading, writing and using numbers, and there is no cure, but there are things that can help manage it. In children it mainly affects reading, writing and spelling, and can also affect understanding and remembering information, using numbers, planning and organising. The NHS is explicit that it does not affect intelligence.

An assessment exists to turn a general suspicion into a clear picture. It describes strengths as well as difficulties and results in recommendations, which is what schools, colleges, universities and employers use to put support in place.

For children, the NHS lists the following possible signs:

• learning to speak later than other children

• not being interested in activities around language, like saying the alphabet

• reading at a level below what is expected for their age

• difficulty with numbers, telling the time and remembering the order of things like days of the week

• written work that looks messy with lots of spelling mistakes

• being slow and hesitant when reading aloud

• finding it challenging to plan and organise schoolwork

For adults, the NHS lists often spelling words wrong, confusing words that look similar like bell and belt, needing to read something several times before it makes sense, feeling tired after a lot of reading and writing, finding it difficult to tell left from right, finding it hard to plan or manage time, forgetting dates or names, getting confused by more than one instruction at a time, and being skilled in some areas while struggling with tasks most people find easy.

Many adults only seek an assessment when a new course, promotion or change of job exposes difficulties that were previously managed with workarounds. Having one or two of the signs does not prove dyslexia; the assessment looks at the overall pattern.

The NHS says a useful first step is to talk to the child’s school SENCO, who may suggest contacting a GP for advice. A GP cannot diagnose dyslexia, but can check for other conditions that may affect a child’s performance, like hearing problems, and may suggest an eye test. The SENCO can arrange a dyslexia screening test at school and look at the child’s behaviour for signs of dyslexia. The child may be offered extra support if needed.

A full dyslexia assessment may be useful if a child continues to find school difficult with extra support. The NHS says it can give a detailed picture of the child’s abilities and help identify more effective ways to support them. It is usually done by an educational psychologist or a specialist teacher, and you can ask the British Dyslexia Association (BDA) or an assessment service directly, or the school may help with a referral.

If a child has additional educational needs the school will work with the family on a plan. The NHS notes that if you feel your child needs more support than the school can offer you can apply to your local authority for an education, health and care plan (EHCP).

The NHS says adults who think they may have dyslexia can have a dyslexia diagnostic assessment, which is usually done by an educational psychologist or a specialist in dyslexia, who will look at abilities around reading, writing and using numbers. You can request one from the BDA or a private assessment service, and most people need to pay.

The BDA describes its own service as professional assessments to help identify dyslexia or dyscalculia, and distinguishes between assessment and screening on its website. In general terms, screening is a shorter check that suggests whether a full assessment is worth doing, whereas a diagnostic assessment is a longer, more detailed individual evaluation.

Whichever route you take, check that the assessor is suitably qualified and that the report will be accepted by the organisation that needs it, such as a university for disabled students’ allowance. The BDA publishes guidance on finding a good assessor.

A report typically explains the findings and recommends adjustments. For children these may include visual aids or technology, such as making screens easier to read, and learning in smaller groups or one-to-one sessions, as the NHS lists. The SENCO can give more information about how the school can help.

For adults, the NHS says you may get support if you are working or at college, university or on an apprenticeship; with a diagnostic assessment you may be able to apply for financial support such as disabled students’ allowance. If you work, it recommends telling your employer so they can make changes like providing screenreaders or information on video, and you may be able to apply for an Access to Work grant.

Helping a child at home mostly means building confidence: try different activities so they can find things they enjoy, make learning fun, and encourage physical activity because exercise can improve mood and self-confidence, as the NHS suggests.

Because dyslexia is a learning difference rather than an illness, the NHS does not usually diagnose it. NHS contact is mainly about ruling out other causes of difficulty, such as hearing or vision problems. School-based screening is free; the full diagnostic assessment from an educational psychologist or specialist assessor is usually paid for.

If cost is a barrier, ask the school, college, university or employer whether they can fund or arrange an assessment, and look into the financial support the BDA and GOV.UK describe. Do not pay for an assessment before checking who will need to accept the report.