Sectioning

Explains your rights if you're sectioned and detained in hospital under the Mental Health Act 1983.

Sectioning overview

You can be sent to stay in hospital for mental health treatment under different sections of the Mental Health Act 1983. You might hear this called ‘being sectioned’.

If you or someone you care for is sectioned, this page offers an overview of sectioning, the law and your rights.

Video: making sense of sectioning

Watch our video for a summary of what sectioning means. The video is 3 minutes and 54 seconds long.

Key facts about sectioning

To better understand what it means to be sectioned, you can read our list of key facts about sectioning and the law:

• Being sectioned means being kept in hospital under the Mental Health Act 1983. You can be sectioned if your own health or safety is at risk, or to protect other people.
• The Act consists of different ‘sections’ for different situations. This is why we call it ‘being sectioned’. Each section has different rules related to keeping you in hospital.
• The length of time you have to stay in hospital depends on which section you're under.
• Before you can be lawfully sectioned, a team of health professionals will perform a Mental Health Act Assessment.
• If you're sectioned after the assessment, health professionals can keep you in hospital and stop you from leaving the ward. They can also give you treatment for your mental health problems, possibly without your consent.
• You normally have the right to get help from an independent mental health advocate (IMHA). They can help you find out what rights you have under your section. They can also explain how to get discharged from hospital and have the section ‘lifted’.
• Sometimes your family might have to get involved. A family member called your nearest relative will gain certain rights related to your sectioning.
• If you want to challenge your section and leave hospital, there are a few ways of doing this. Your IMHA will be able to advise you.
• You don't have to be sectioned to get mental health treatment in hospital. You might go into hospital as an informal patient. You could also go in as an informal patient, then later end up being sectioned.
• Some sections also involve the police, such as sections 135 and 136.

Published: January 2026

Next review planned: January 2029

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