As a mental health professional working with neurodivergent adults and families, I often see how ADHD can create practical and financial challenges in everyday life.

ADHD affects around 1 in 20 Australians, with many experiencing difficulties in planning, organisation, and time management. These executive-function challenges can make it harder to stay on top of bills, payments, forms, and lodgements.

For some, this results in missed due dates, overdue notices, and accumulating late fees that cause unnecessary financial stress. These outcomes are not due to a lack of care or motivation, but reflect recognised differences in how ADHD affects time perception and task initiation.

When everyday systems rely on strict deadlines and automatic penalties, individuals with ADHD can end up paying more simply because of how their brains work. This pattern is sometimes described as the “ADHD tax” — the extra costs that arise from missed payments, fines, or other time-sensitive obligations.

Small, voluntary accessibility measures could help reduce this burden. Organisations might consider sending additional reminders before due dates, offering short extensions before late fees are applied, or providing clearer information about payment and lodgement timelines.

These practical, low-cost steps align with existing inclusion and hardship frameworks and could help reduce avoidable financial strain. This petition aims to raise awareness of how ADHD can increase the risk of financial disadvantage through missed bills or lodgements and to encourage organisations to explore small, reasonable adjustments that make everyday systems fairer and more accessible for everyone.

Furthermore, by encouraging greater public and media awareness, we can start important conversations about how everyday systems can better accommodate people with ADHD for future generations to come.