Young people's mental health - the facts
1 in 5 young people have a probable mental health problem. This is up from 1 in 9 in 2017.
8% of all children in England have an active referral to children and young people's mental health services (CYPMHS).
New urgent referrals to crisis care teams for under 18s each month have more than tripled since 2019.
Half of young people are not confident the government will meaningfully improve their access to mental health support within the next 5 years.
20.8% of young women aged 17-19 had an eating disorder in 2023, up from 1.6% in 2017.
At the end of July 2025, there were over half a million referrals to CYPMHS where young people were still waiting to start treatment. Half of these young people had been waiting over a year.
The problem
More young people are struggling with their mental health today than ever before. However, the provision of services has not kept pace with rising demand, meaning thousands are unable to get the support they need to recover and thrive in life.
Currently, services are seeing a record high number of young people waiting to access support – over half a million young people are on waiting lists for support.
Many young people are being told they are 'not unwell enough’ to meet rising thresholds to access support. Even those accessing services often do not have suitable or tailored support to meet their needs.
The longer young people wait or are denied access to the right support, the worse their mental health gets. This means many end up reaching crisis point before they receive any form of care.
I was first referred to CAMHS aged 7. Despite that early contact, I received no sustained, meaningful intervention. By my early teens, I was struggling with anxiety, emotional dysregulation, and a deteriorating eating disorder.
Freya, 22
The impact
Failure to address this problem will have a long-lasting impact on young people’s educational, employment, health and social outcomes. This includes:
- Poorer mental and physical health and shorter life expectancy.
- Worse educational attainment, low attendance and difficulties participating in school life.
- Challenges in entering or staying in work, accessing higher-paying jobs, or remaining economically active.
Failing to support young people with mental health problems early enough will continue to impact the social and economic future of the nation. Crisis services and overall health budgets will come under increasing strain.
I was first referred to a mental health service when I was 13 years old, and in the 5 years since, I’ve spent longer on waiting lists than actually receiving treatment.
Gabriella, 18
The solutions
The UK government has an opportunity to turn the tide on the next generation’s mental health.
We need a clear political commitment to transforming young people’s lives, starting with a stronger, more joined-up offer of support.
Young Futures Hubs could play a significant role in this transformation, offering holistic, open access support in the community. But the government must be more ambitious in its plans.
We urge the UK government to:
Commit to rolling out a Young Futures hub in
every local authority area.
Set out a plan to deliver 70% of hubs by
2030 and 100% by 2035.
Make the funding commitment necessary to
deliver a full roll out at the upcoming budget.
Ensure the implementation of hubs follows
existing best practice.
Hubs are just one part of a wider set of measures needed to transform young people’s mental health. Download the full report to see other interventions we recommend to support young people, including tackling NHS waiting lists.
What's driving young people's poor mental health?
Financial insecurity
Financial insecurity is a leading cause of poor mental health among young people. Those from low-income families are 4 times more likely to develop mental health problems by age 11. Child poverty is set to reach its highest level in 30 years, with over a third of children affected.
Rising costs are hitting hardest: 6 in 10 young people aged 16–24 say the cost of living has harmed their mental health.
Cutting benefits will worsen this crisis. Investing in financial and employment support is essential to prevent mental health problems and help young people achieve stability.
Declining access to services
Research by the Youth Futures Foundation shows that a sharp decline in youth services has driven rising mental health problems. Between 2010–11 and 2023–24, local authority spending fell by 73% in real terms, leading to widespread closures of youth centres and early intervention programmes.
Systemic inequality
Young people from minoritised communities face higher mental health risks due to poverty, discrimination, stigma, and lack of tailored support.
LGBTQIA+ young people are 2.5 times more likely to experience mental health issues than heterosexual peers.
And gender disparities are clear: among 16–24-year-olds, 31.7% of women report self-harm, compared to 15.4% of men, with rates particularly high among young Black women. Inclusive, culturally competent services are urgently needed.
Social media
Excessive social media use can expose young people to harmful content, cyberbullying, and social comparison. The Office for National Statistics found 27% of children spending 3+ hours daily on social media show mental health symptoms, compared to 12% who spend none - highlighting the need for balance and safeguards.
Reduced sleep quality
Substantial evidence links poor sleep with mental health problems - especially low mood and anxiety.
The Youth Futures Foundation notes that reported problems with sleep quality and mental health problems among young people have been rising concurrently.
Long waits for support
Demand for NHS mental health services for young people has surged, with monthly referrals tripling since 2016 to nearly 120,000 in 2024. Despite service expansion, funding remains inadequate, leading to high thresholds and long waits.
41% of young people surveyed said waiting times were the biggest barrier to support.
Delays are harmful: research shows mental health often deteriorates while waiting, with some reporting self-harm or suicidal thoughts. Crisis referrals have also soared, tripling since 2019.
We need urgent investment to reduce waits and ensure timely, accessible care.
What are the risks of doing nothing?
Worsening health
Failing to provide early mental health support puts young people at risk of lifelong challenges. Half of all mental health problems start by age 14, and 75% by 24.
Poor mental health in childhood is linked to physical conditions like diabetes and obesity later in life.
Half of young people surveyed said mental health issues harmed their physical health, and severe mental illness can shorten life expectancy by 15–20 years.
Poorer educational outcomes
Mental health problems can lead to absenteeism, low attainment, and school exclusion, limiting future job prospects.
NHS data shows that in Autumn 2022, 1 in 9 young people with a mental health problem missed over 15 school days, compared to 1 in 67 without a mental health disorder.
Nearly 48% of young people surveyed said mental health harmed their attendance. Hospitalisation creates further barriers, worsening educational outcomes.
Worse employment prospects
Childhood mental health difficulties could cost the current generation £1 trillion in lost earnings. Young people with mental health problems are nearly 5 times more likely to be economically inactive.
4 in 10 surveyed said mental health harmed their ability to work, and fewer than a third feel optimistic about future employment. Rising disability benefit claims linked to mental health highlight the financial impact of failing to provide early support.
Why early intervention hubs are the solution
Early support hubs provide free, community-based mental health services for young people aged 10–25, offering drop-in access without referral thresholds.
Around 70 hubs in England deliver a range of co-located services, including mental health, housing, and wellbeing support, addressing multiple needs under one roof.
Hubs are safe, confidential spaces that reach young people who struggle to access NHS or school-based services, including LGBTQIA+ and racially minoritised groups.
They also ease the transition to adult services, supporting those who fall through gaps at age 18. By reducing stigma and improving accessibility, hubs offer timely, tailored help when it’s most needed.
Download our Care Before Crisis report
Download the PDF to read our full report. It explains why we so desperately need hubs across the country, and how the UK government can deliver them to have to the greatest impact on young people's mental health.