The UK Government must take action to turn around the decline in the nation’s mental health over the last decade, as seen in today’s national adult mental health survey, Centre for Mental Health chief executive Andy Bell said today.
Responding to the Adult Psychiatric Morbidity Survey, the best barometer of mental health among adults in England for almost a decade, Andy Bell said: “In the wake of the Covid-19 pandemic, the cost-of-living crisis and the effects of many years of austerity, it’s no surprise that mental health in England has deteriorated in recent years. Rates of common mental health problems, such as anxiety and depression, in adults aged 16 to 64 have risen sharply from 17.6% in 2007, and 18.9% in 2014, to 22.6% in 2023/24.
“Rising levels of mental distress and mental ill health mean more people are needing mental health support and help with the costs of living through disability benefits. Waiting lists for mental health care have risen more quickly than mental health services can grow. And a lack of systemic action to prevent mental health difficulties means more people are struggling every day from preventable distress.
“There are deep and entrenched inequalities in mental health, and today’s figures underline that. For example, women and young adults, in particular, are experiencing disproportionately high levels of psychological distress. The study also highlights elevated rates among people living in the most deprived areas, and those living with physical health conditions. This is not inevitable. It is due to structural inequity and injustice, and it is within society’s power to address these unfair differences. It is also clear that cutting disability and incapacity benefits at a time of rising mental ill health will have disastrous consequences, and we urge the Government to rethink its plans to restrict access to these vital provisions.
“The study shows that nearly half of people living with a mental health problem (47.7%) in 2023/24 were accessing mental health support, such as talking therapies. This is a positive step in the right direction, with nearly twice as many people receiving support since 2007. The Government must continue to build on this progress to address the treatment gap.
“We call on the UK Government to commit to creating a new mental health plan for England. It is clear from the newly released data that action is needed at scale to turn around our mental health after years of neglect and missed opportunities. A whole government plan, backed up with a mental health policy test, would begin the job of rebuilding the nation’s mental health.”
