How much demand is there on mental health services?

How do mental health issues affect our daily lives?

Mental health conditions can affect people’s lives in various ways depending on the type of mental illness they experience and its severity. Everyone can experience issues which require mental health support from time to time. Sadness, grief, stress and worry are a normal part of life. Taking action to meet our mental health needs, for example, by seeking support from friends or family, can help us process our feelings without needing treatment from mental health services.

Without mental health support, mental illness can affect our ability to work, sleep, take care of ourselves and engage with our friends. We might also resort to other coping strategies, such as increased alcohol use, which only worsens the problem. Physical health issues and mental health conditions often go together. For example, anxiety and depression can lead to insomnia, lack of appetite and an inability to concentrate. These can make it challenging to work and engage with treatment from mental health services. In extreme cases, mental illness can lead to unemployment and even homelessness. It can also cause increased social isolation, resulting in a vicious circle of worsening mental health.

Is poor mental health affecting the UK economy?

Mental health conditions were the fourth most common reason given for sickness absence in the UK in 2025, accounting for 8.9% of occurrences, according to the Office for National Statistics. The Health and Safety Executive estimates that 964,000 workers in Great Britain had work-related stress, depression or anxiety in 2024/25, leading to 22.1 million lost working days. That can clearly cause issues for employees who are unable to work long-term. However, workforce shortages also affect businesses that may lose skilled workers due to poor mental health. It makes sense for employers to support their employees’ mental health needs to improve productivity and employee retention. Employers can do this through, for example, private counselling as part of an employee assistance programme.

However, even with appropriate support from mental health services, mental illness can become more severe. In 2011, the Department of Health described mental ill health as the single largest cause of disability in the UK, contributing up to 22.8% of the total burden, compared with 15.9% for cancer and 16.2% for cardiovascular disease. More recently, the Centre for Mental Health estimated that the economic and social costs of mental ill health in England reached £300 billion in 2022. That is made up of £110 billion of economic costs, such as sickness absence, presenteeism, staff turnover and unemployment, £130 billion of human costs from reduced quality of life, and £60 billion of health and care costs, including informal care by family and friends.

Can teletherapy make mental health support more accessible in the UK?

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Demand for mental health services has increased

As more people experience mental health challenges, it’s no surprise that there’s also increased demand for NHS mental health services. Unless stated otherwise, the figures in this guide are for England, because health services are run separately in Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland. The British Medical Association’s (BMA) analysis of mental health pressures, last updated in July 2026, reports that mental health services in England received a record 5.2 million referrals in 2024, up 37.9% from 2019. The BMA also says the latest estimates put the mental health waiting list at 1.7 million people in 2025, and that more people are asking for help partly because there is less stigma about doing so.

Quick access to mental health services can help prevent mental health problems from worsening. However, a 2022 poll of 535 adults in Britain with a diagnosed mental illness, carried out for the Royal College of Psychiatrists (RCPsych), found that 23% waited more than 12 weeks to start treatment. Of everyone polled, 43% said the wait between referral and second appointment had made their mental health worse. The poll also found that 12% waited longer than six months and 6% longer than a year. NHS England publishes waiting time figures for some mental health services, including talking therapies, eating disorder services for children and young people, and early intervention in psychosis.

RCPsych puts the long waits down largely to a shortage of mental health staff, particularly psychiatrists. In 2022 there was one consultant psychiatrist for every 12,567 people in England.

Does counselling help?

Counselling and other talking therapies can help with various mental health conditions, including anxiety, depression, OCD, PTSD and eating disorders. The UK Council for Psychotherapy says the research evidence shows that psychotherapy is at least as effective as medication for most mental health issues. NHS mental health services aim to increase access to talking therapy services. However, the NHS only offers counselling for certain mental health conditions, such as depression, and provision depends on the approach taken by individual community mental health services.

Vitality’s Health Claims Insights Report 2023, which looks at claims from its own customers up to 2022, points the same way. Between 2015 and 2022, talking therapies claims rose by more than 500%, while outpatient, inpatient and day-patient mental health claims fell. Vitality says that 99% of members who had talking therapies did not need further mental health treatment within three months, and that its mental health costs, adjusted for medical inflation, fell by 32% between 2019 and 2022.

What help is available via the NHS?

NHS mental health services are available free of charge and take various forms depending on your needs. There are adult mental health services and separate mental health services for children and young people as part of Child and Adolescent Mental Health Services (CAMHS).

Mental health services offer different types of care, including community mental health services and inpatient treatment. As we’ve mentioned, counselling and talking therapies can be highly effective. However, doctors may also use medication or other forms of treatment as necessary.

NHS guidance explains that you may be able to get free counselling from a charity, or you can choose to pay for private counselling. If you pay, the NHS advises checking that the counsellor is on a register accredited by the Professional Standards Authority, such as the one run by the British Association for Counselling and Psychotherapy (BACP). Some charities, such as the Samaritans and Childline, offer one-off support for adults, children and young people in crisis and are unlikely to offer a long-term solution. However, other specialist services can provide a course of therapy. Some examples include:

• Relate - for relationship advice and couples counselling
• Cruse - for bereavement support via individual or group counselling
• Rape Crisis - specialist counselling after rape, sexual assault or abuse

Here are some mental health services you can expect to find when accessing care via the NHS.

1. GP mental health services

Your GP is the first stop when you need to access NHS mental health services. Before referring you, they’ll assess you to decide what treatment will best meet your needs. Young people can also seek support from their school.

A GP can refer you to other mental health services, such as a therapist or other specialist mental health services, depending on your needs. For example, you may need dedicated support from eating disorder services or group therapy for addiction. There are also specialist young people’s services. In some circumstances, they can signpost your partner or family members to appropriate support services if needed.

However, they may also be able to provide treatment at your GP surgery. Some practices work with psychologists, community psychiatric nurses and occupational therapists to provide treatment within the practice.

2. Talking therapy services

We’ve mentioned how counselling and talking therapies can positively impact mental health. They’re available from NHS mental health services in various forms, including one-to-one support in person, via telephone or video. You can also choose to take a self-guided online course. Some services offer group therapy too.

Your GP can refer you, but for many problems, such as anxiety and depression, you can also refer yourself without seeing a GP. To do this in England you usually need to be registered with a GP and aged 18 or over (16 or over in some areas). NHS talking therapies for anxiety and depression can help with difficult feelings such as low mood and worry, depression, anxiety (including social anxiety and panic disorder), phobias, OCD and PTSD, among other things. You can refer yourself online, and the service will contact you. If they can help you, they will tell you how long you may need to wait for your first session, and self-help resources are available while you wait. There is a different system for children and young people. They can’t use the same self-referral system and should access care through CAMHS instead.

There are different types of therapy so you can receive treatment that meets your needs. You may be offered guided self-help, counselling, cognitive behavioural therapy or couples therapy. You can choose how you receive treatment; you may be happy to speak to a counsellor online or prefer face-to-face therapy, and your local services should offer you the choice.

3. Outpatient care

If you need more support than counselling can provide, you can access other types of mental health support. Community mental health services create teams of professionals who can tailor your care to suit your needs. Teams typically include a community psychiatric nurse, a counsellor and a psychologist. There’s also support to help you with your day-to-day activities, for example, if you struggle to care for yourself or your home. Your care team will also likely have an occupational therapist, community support worker and social worker. One person will typically oversee your care and will be your main point of contact.

Your community mental health team can also support your family and carers.

In some circumstances, social services can help with practical tasks. Mental health conditions can make it difficult for you to manage your finances or put a strain on your relationships, and social services can provide support and guidance. Mental health treatment only succeeds if you engage with it, and social care can help you put systems in place to ensure you attend appointments. This could be as simple as helping you book transport.

If you can’t work, you may be entitled to benefits. If a family member cares for you, they could also claim financial support; social care can guide you through the benefits system. The charity Mind offers guidance to help you understand what you may be entitled to.

4. Hospital treatment

Sometimes, a mental health disorder becomes more severe and needs inpatient care in a hospital. Hospital treatment can be required for many reasons; you may be in crisis or need monitoring to help doctors decide how to care for you long-term.

You’ll typically receive treatment in a specialist mental health unit, which can help keep you safe if you’re at risk of hurting yourself or someone else. Specialists staff these units, so you can see a psychiatrist, psychologist or mental health nurse as needed.

If professionals believe you need to be in hospital for your own health or safety, or to protect other people, you can be detained, or “sectioned”, under the Mental Health Act 1983, which applies in England and Wales. Usually, two doctors must recommend this and an approved mental health professional makes the application. The Mental Health Act 2025, which became law on 18 December 2025, reforms the 1983 Act, and its changes are coming into force in stages. The police can also take you to a place of safety if they believe you have a mental disorder and are in immediate need of care or control. You might be sectioned so that mental health professionals can assess you or provide treatment.

Alternatively, you might feel that you need hospital treatment to benefit from 24/7 access to care. You can ask for a voluntary admission if you want to.

5. Residential care

Short-term residential care differs from hospital treatment, allowing you to access group therapy and practical support to live independently. Some residential communities provide counselling and other therapies as part of your treatment and can include one-to-one treatment or group therapy as needed. They can be helpful for people who have received inpatient care but need extra support as they recover. Hostels can also provide short-term accommodation for people who need a halfway house to help them learn to live independently.

Long-term residential care is also available and comes in two main forms depending on a patient’s needs. Supported housing for people with mental health conditions is similar to supported housing for older people. The people who live there can live independently but sometimes need access to support. This can include practical support from care workers or mental health care from in-house therapists.

By contrast, care homes provide accommodation for people with severe mental health disorders who can’t live independently and need a high level of support with every aspect of their mental health and daily lives.

6. Crisis intervention

As mentioned, people experiencing a mental health crisis can be sectioned and receive inpatient treatment in a mental health unit. You may need this if you’ll likely harm yourself or other people.

However, there are also crisis resolution and home treatment teams. As the name suggests, they can provide treatment and support if you experience a crisis while enabling you to stay at home. This approach can be beneficial as it lets you access your usual support network and receive extra support while remaining in your home. If you’re already feeling anxious or stressed, going to an unfamiliar place could make things worse.

If you already see a mental health professional, they may give you a phone number for the crisis team so you can call them immediately rather than needing to call 999.

Does private health insurance cover mental health?

Can private health insurance help?

How can we look after our mental health?

Taking care of our mental health involves many of the same things as looking after our physical health.

Exercise is great for our physical wellbeing, but it also releases endorphins. These can make us feel happier, reduce stress, improve our concentration, and act as a natural painkiller. Any type of movement can help, although choosing something you enjoy is a good idea. Exercising outside and spending time in nature has additional mental health benefits, such as making us feel calmer.

Eating well can support your mental health by feeding your brain with the nutrients it needs to stay healthy. Mind offers guidance on helping your mental wellbeing through diet, including eating plenty of fruits and vegetables, getting enough protein and fat, and safe alcohol use. Eating meals with friends and family strengthens our social links, which can help reduce loneliness and feelings of isolation.

A strong support network can help us talk about problems before they escalate. It’s important to acknowledge things that you find stressful and create strategies to manage those feelings. Daily life can involve many stressors, whether at work, at home, or even watching the news. You can find online support to develop self-help strategies or see your GP for medical help.

How can health insurance help support mental health

Private health insurance can provide access to healthcare for mental and physical health issues. You can choose a provider and policy that meets your needs and budget, and you can tailor your policy by adding optional extras.

Many policies include some limited mental health support as standard, such as a set number of telephone counselling or therapist calls, and some let you use it without a GP referral. Fuller mental health cover is usually an optional extra that costs more, and it gives you access to a wider range of mental health specialists.

It’s worth comparing quotes, as a few insurers include mental health cover in their main policy, while most include only support as standard and sell fuller cover as an extra.

Health insurance exclusions

Every health insurance policy has exclusions, meaning it won’t pay for certain types of treatment. Some are standard exclusions, while others depend on your medical history. Health insurance doesn’t cover chronic conditions that need long-term management and typically excludes coverage for straightforward pregnancy and birth, cosmetic surgery and treatment for addiction. However, there are exceptions. For example, Bupa’s By You policies fund one addiction treatment programme in each person’s lifetime.

Health insurance also excludes pre-existing conditions. Policies usually exclude conditions you’ve had symptoms of, or treatment or advice for, in the past five years, and mental health conditions are treated in the same way. If you take out a policy on a moratorium basis and go two years without symptoms, treatment or advice for a condition, it may be covered from year three.

So, what support can your health insurance offer?

Access to counselling and helplines

As we’ve mentioned, health insurance can give you access to counselling, and some policies let you refer yourself. The number of sessions or calls is usually limited, but you can often increase it by paying an additional premium for fuller mental health cover. Counselling can help with many mental health conditions, and for some people it means they don’t need further treatment. If you opt for mental health cover with your health insurance, you’ll be able to access a broader range of mental health professionals, including psychiatrists and therapists, and specialist inpatient or day-patient treatment if you need it.

Most insurers also provide online resources, such as articles, self-help advice and self-assessment tools. Many have a health helpline, usually staffed by nurses, who can tell you what mental health treatment your policy covers and point you to other sources of support.

Inpatient and outpatient treatment

With mental health cover, health insurance can pay for outpatient consultations with psychiatrists, psychologists and therapists, and for specialist inpatient or day-patient treatment, which is often limited to around 28 days. Because health insurance gives you quick access to private treatment, you’re likely to wait less than you would on the NHS.

If you need inpatient care, you can be treated in a private hospital and have your own room. This can give you a more relaxing environment to help you rest and recover. You may also benefit from hotel-style facilities such as a private bathroom and restaurant-quality food.

Getting professional advice

myTribe guides are designed to help you understand your healthcare options and make informed choices about your medical treatment. Our guides shouldn’t be regarded as tailored financial advice.

Health insurance is designed to cover medical conditions that start after your policy begins, so mental health conditions you already have usually aren’t covered, at least at first. If you’d like to see whether health insurance would cover future medical expenses, get comparison quotes through myTribe from the UK’s leading insurers. We’ll put you in touch with a specialist, regulated broker for individual advice tailored to your circumstances.