We’ve brought together data about mental health problems, stigma and discrimination, alongside real people’s experiences, into one annual report, to give a full picture of the state of mental health right now.
The current mental health crisis is one that cuts across all areas of life – from housing, to benefits, employment and more. This report paints a picture of worsening mental health across England and Wales and services struggling to keep up with demand.
We want the data and insights in the report to give people a clear view on what’s happening now so that collectively, we know where we need to focus our efforts. It will help us end the mental health crisis and make sure no mind is left behind.
Foreword by Dr Sarah Hughes, Mind CEO
We’re currently in the middle of a mental health crisis.
The scale and severity of mental health need is spiralling, but too many of us aren’t getting the help we need. A lack of funding and resources, financial insecurity, racism, discrimination, stigma – they’re all playing a part in the problems many of us are facing. The system is at breaking point and without urgent action things will get worse. This would be a catastrophe for people and their communities.
Living with a mental health problem often cuts across multiple areas of somebody’s life – from healthcare and education, to benefits and employment, relationships and identity. It’s not just the NHS that protects and supports us – the causes and protective factors for our mental health lie all around us, in the communities we live in and the lives we lead. We’re clear that things must change, but crucially, can change. But to address the mental health crisis, we need to really understand it first. That means having a clear, consistent source of information that lays out what’s happening and where improvements are needed.
The Big Mental Health Report is designed to do just that. For the first time, we will have an annual overview of the state of mental health in England and Wales from the latest available evidence. It brings together publicly available data about mental health, stigma and discrimination alongside the voices of people with first-hand experience of living with a mental health problem. Our annual almanac will offer a reliable source of information so that we all know exactly what we are talking about.
As well as highlighting the progress that’s been made, this report focusses on areas where we need to go further to create a mentally healthy society. These are not new ideas – we have had the same answers to the causes of mental illness and the solutions to this crisis, for many years. But we will only start to see a real difference if governments lean into these ideas and invest in mental health with a vision that truly deals with the long-standing challenges. This is vital in ensuring people don’t experience poor mental health because of social neglect, or fail to get the help they need, when they need it.
Mind has for years led the way with many positive changes we have seen in mental health. People can talk about their mental health in ways they couldn’t when I started my career. However, in recent years we have seen a decline in attitudes, the progress we have made still vulnerable to social and political tensions and pressures. We are especially concerned for those of us with serious mental illness, which is why we have decided to go big on our anti-stigma work. Our hope for this report is that it contributes to a rebalancing of focus so that those who need our support the most, are able to get it.
The time is now. This report will give you the information you need to be part of the social movement for better mental health. Use the information here to understand what is and isn’t working and to push for better. The declining mental health of the nation should not be inevitable - we have the collective power to change it.
Thank you for your support.
In England, it’s estimated about 1 in 4 of us will experience a mental health problem at some point each year.
Research shows that adults and young people alike feel their wellbeing is getting worse, with adults also reportedly feeling lonelier. 7.8% of adults in the UK felt lonely 'always or often' in 2024.
The cost of poor mental health is calculated at £300 billion a year in England.
In 2023, 6,069 registered deaths were caused by suicide – 75% were men.
Life expectancy of people with a severe mental illness is about 15-20 years shorter than those without.
Mental health services are struggling with demand – the numbers speak for themselves
The scale and severity of mental health need is spiralling, yet too many people are struggling to access the quality care they need, when they need it.
Over 2 million
People on waiting lists for NHS mental health support in England alone.
6.4 million
Referrals in England to NHS Talking Therapies and other mental health services in 2021/22.
Over 30%
Inpatient beds lost in Wales between 2011/12 and 2021/22.
28,663
Vacant posts in England's total mental health workforce.
A 2, 3, 4-week wait isn't really helpful when my head is telling me it would be better if I wasn't here.
Online community participant. Female, white British, at risk of poverty, living with a personality disorder.
Financial difficulties and mental health problems are creating a vicious cycle for many people in England and Wales
Mental health problems are straining personal finances. At the same time, not having enough money is a risk factor for mental health problems.
In 2023, 1 in 4 new personal independence payment (PIP) awards were due to depression and anxiety.
In England, people with a mental health problem earn nearly £10,000 less a year than someone without one.
of people in the UK said the cost of living crisis was hurting their wellbeing.
Young people continue to face challenges with their mental health
Young people and children are experiencing a number of difficulties with their mental health, but the services in the NHS and schools simply can’t cope with the level of need.
1 in 5 school-age child or young person has a mental health difficulty. Only a third were able to access treatment last year in England.
There was a 34 percentage point increase in the number of children and young people referred with anxiety in Wales between 2015/16 and 2022/23.
Children and young people’s mental health services now account for over £1 billion of NHS spending annually in England.
In England, 11% of 8-16 year olds with a mental health difficulty had missed more than 15 days of school in 1 term.
In Wales, 29% of children met the threshold for persistent absence in the 2023-2024 school year.
Children and young people in England with a mental health difficulty were significantly more likely to have been bullied online compared to those without.
We're worried that stigma and discrimination are getting worse
Our research suggests that things have started to backslide after years of improvements in attitudes to mental health.
Mental health stigma and discrimination are found in the healthcare system too. And racism, racial violence and hate crimes threaten the safety and mental wellbeing of many communities.
Public knowledge of some aspects of mental health have fallen back to 2009 levels.
I had a panic attack in the middle of a shopping centre. Security staff and police thought I was under the influence of drink and/or drugs.
Online community participant. Male, white British, in poverty, living with bipolar disorder and psychosis.
Life with a severe mental illness is more difficult at every turn
People with a severe mental illness are 5 times more likely to die before the age of 75 than the rest of the UK population.
The challenges of living with a severe mental illness are compounded by social injustices, discrimination and disadvantage.
I am constantly battling my own mental health issues and juggling what is going on inside my head. Things are very challenging on a daily basis for me and I see myself on a constant ladder of coping and struggling.
Online community participant. Female, Pakistani, in poverty, living with personality disorders.
The UK and Welsh governments must act now to end the mental health crisis
Ensure people with a mental health problem receive quality care, on time
Support young people with their mental health to stop them reaching crisis
Tackle mental health stigma and discrimination with targeted interventions
Address the social factors which contribute to poor mental health
Acknowledgements
We’re privileged to launch this transformational project in partnership with the Dangoor family’s Exilarch’s Foundation, in memory of Robert D.S. Dangoor. The Foundation’s generous donation will fund research over 8 years to help drive positive social change across the mental health sector.
The Exilarch's Foundation was created by Sir Naim Dangoor and is now run by his sons, David, Michael and Elie Dangoor. Sadly, their brother Robert D. S. Dangoor died in 2022 and the family chose to do something positive in his memory. The foundation has generously initiated, guided and supported many causes, mainly relating to education, health and promoting inter-faith harmony.
This initiative wouldn’t be possible without the insight and knowledge of others within the mental health sector. Our advisory group, made up of leading individuals working within mental health, have helped shape this piece of work – and will continue to do so over the coming years.
The advisory group members for our 2024 report:
- Sir Simon Wessley, Professor of Psychiatry at the Institute of Psychiatry Psychology & Neuroscience, King’s College London
- Professor Louis Appleby, Professor of Psychiatry at the University of Manchester and Director of the National Confidential Inquiry into Suicide and Safety in Mental Health
- Kadra Abdinasir, Associate Director for Policy at Centre for Mental Health
- Andy Bell, CEO at Centre for Mental Health
- Daniel Dangoor, Exilarch's Foundation, funder of the Big Mental Health Report
- Jacqui Dyer MBE, Independent health and social care consultant
- Phil Chick, Mind Cymru Pwyllgor Member, appointed as the first National Director of Mental Health for Wales
- Claire Henderson, Clinical Professor of Public Mental Health at Kings College London
- Professor Ian Jones, Director National Centre for Mental Health Cardiff University
Centre for Mental Health has advised on and guided this project
through their role on the panel. They’ve also helped to produce this
year’s report, bringing together existing data and insights about mental health problems, services, stigma and discrimination. Special thanks to Andy Bell, Kadra Abdinasir and Katie Yau for their work to help give us a full picture of the state of mental health right now.
As part of the research for this report, we heard from 49 people with severe and enduring mental illness. They told us about support they’ve received, their experiences of stigma and discrimination and their thoughts on what future mental health support should look like.
This research was conducted by YouGov on behalf of Mind. Shining a light on the voices of people with first-hand experiences is key. It’s going to help us make sure no mind is left behind as we work to improve the mental health system. Their experiences are shared throughout the report.
Download The Big Mental Health Report
Download as accessible Word file
Unless stated, stats on this page refer to England and Wales. References for all data on this page are available in the full report.
