Mental Health Statistics in the UK (2024-2026): Data and Sources

The UK has 1.7 million people on mental health waiting lists. More than a fifth of adults in England live with a diagnosed condition. The total cost already exceeds £300 billion a year - more than the GDP of Portugal.

This data exists. It is published — scattered across dozens of sources. But rarely gathered like this, in one place.

This page does that. If you need verifiable sources on mental health in the UK, you can use and cite them - we just ask that you include the link.

See also: Mental Health Statistics in Brazil (2024-2026).

Last updated: May 2026.

Overview of Mental Health Statistics in the UK

1. 22.6% of adults aged 16-64 in England have a common mental health condition - anxiety, depression or another related condition. In 2007, this proportion was 17.6%. An increase of 28% in 17 years. (Source: NHS England Digital, Adult Psychiatric Morbidity Survey 2023-24)

2. 1 in 4 adults in the UK will experience a mental health problem each year. (Source: Mind UK)

3. 1 in 5 people report a common mental health problem in a typical week in England. (Source: NHS England Digital)

4. Women are more affected: 36.1% of women have a common mental health condition, compared to 16.3% of men. (Source: NHS England Digital, 2023-24)

5. 52,458 people were detained under the Mental Health Act in 2022/23 - the highest number ever recorded in the UK. (Source: Mind UK - The Big Mental Health Report 2024)

6. People of Caribbean Black ethnicity are detained under the Mental Health Act at a rate 3-4 times higher than the white British population. A systemic inequality that the system has yet to address. (Source: Mind UK - The Big Mental Health Report 2024)

Anxiety and Depression

7. Generalized anxiety disorder (GAD) affects 7.5% of adults in England - it is the most common individual mental health condition in the country. (Source: NHS England Digital)

8. 6.7% of adults have had suicidal thoughts in the last year. 25.2% of adults report having had suicidal thoughts in their lifetime. (Source: NHS England Digital, 2023-24)

9. 60% of Britons say that the cost of living crisis is negatively affecting their mental wellbeing. Financial pressure has become one of the biggest triggers of anxiety in the UK. (Source: Mind UK - The Big Mental Health Report 2024)

10. Depression is the leading cause of disability in the world, measured in years lived with disability (YLD). The UK is no exception to this global pattern. (Source: WHO)

11. The problem is getting worse - with no sign of slowing down: the prevalence of common mental health conditions in England has risen steadily from 2007 to 2023. (Source: NHS England Digital)

12. More than 1 billion people in the world live with a diagnosed mental disorder, according to the WHO. The UK is far from an exception.

Young People and Teenagers

13. 1 in 5 children and young people aged 8-25 in England have a probable mental health problem (2023). (Source: NHS England)

14. Between the ages of 17 and 19, the rate of probable mental disorder has more than doubled: from 10% in 2017 to 23% in 2023. This is the fastest growing age group. (Source: NHS England)

15. For 16-24 year olds, prevalence has risen by 47% in ten years: from 18.9% in 2014 to 25.8% in 2024. (Source: NHS England Digital)

16. 255,000 children and young people were on the waiting list for community mental health services (CAMHS) in March 2025. (Source: Children’s Commissioner for England)

17. 78,577 young people waited more than a year for CAMHS in 2023/24 - an increase of 52% on the previous year. (Source: NHS England Digital)

18. 34,191 young people waited more than two years to access child and adolescent mental health services in 2023/24. For these children, two years represents a significant part of their lives. (Source: NHS England Digital)

Suicide in the UK

19. 6,190 suicides were recorded in England and Wales in 2024 - a rate of 11.4 per 100,000 inhabitants. (Source: ONS, 2024 registrations)

20. 3 out of 4 suicides are committed by men. The male rate is 17.6 per 100,000, compared to 5.7 per 100,000 for women. (Source: ONS / Samaritans)

21. Middle-aged men (40-54) have the highest suicide rate of any group in the UK. The stigma around asking for help remains a decisive factor. (Source: Samaritans)

22. The North East of England has the highest suicide rate of all the regions: 15.1 per 100,000. London has the lowest: 8.3 per 100,000. (Source: ONS)

23. Lifelong self-harm has quadrupled since 2000: it now affects 10.3% of adults (aged 16-74), compared to 6.4% in 2014. (Source: NHS England Digital, 2023-24)

24. If you or someone you know is in crisis, call Samaritans: 116 123 - free line, available 24/7 from any phone. (samaritans.org)

Mental Health at Work and Burnout

25. 964,000 workers suffer from work-related stress, depression or anxiety in 2024/25 - an increase of 24% compared to 2023/24. (Source: HSE 2024/25)

26. 52% of all cases of work-related illness in the UK are of a mental nature - stress, depression and anxiety. It is the dominant cause of UK incapacity for work. (Source: HSE 2024/25)

27. 22.1 million working days were lost due to stress, depression and anxiety in 2024/25 - an average of 16.4 days per worker affected. (Source: HSE 2024/25)

28. 63% of British workers show at least one characteristic of burnout - up from 51% in 2021 to 63% in 2024. (Source: Deloitte, 2024)

29. An average of 9.4 sick days per employee per year in 2025 - the highest figure in 15 years. The human and financial cost is constantly rising. (Source: CIPD - Health and Wellbeing at Work 2025)

30. Burnout has been recognized as an occupational phenomenon by the WHO in ICD-11, effective from January 2022. The UK has one of the highest rates in Europe. (Source: WHO)

NHS and Access to Treatment

31. 1.7 million people were on the waiting list for mental health services in 2025. (Source: NHS England / Rethink Mental Illness)

32. The NHS received 5.2 million mental health referrals in 2024 - an increase of 37.9% compared to 2019. Demand is growing; supply is not. (Source: NHS England)

33. Someone with a mental health problem is 8 times more likely to wait more than 18 months for treatment than someone with a physical health problem. (Source: Rethink Mental Illness, 2025)

34. Only 17% of new urgent crisis cases were seen within 4 hours (March 2025) - down from 33% in April 2023. Crisis response capacity is deteriorating. (Source: NHS England)

35. For autism and ADHD in adults, the wait can be as long as 91 weeks - almost two years for a life-changing diagnosis. (Source: NHS England Digital)

36. The NHS spends £12.8 billion a year on mental health - 8.1% of its total budget. It is the largest public investment in mental health in the world, but falls short of real demand. (Source: NHS England 2022/23)

Antidepressants in the UK

37. 92.6 million prescriptions for antidepressants were issued in 2024/25 in England - for around 8.89 million patients. An increase of 3.94% on the previous year. (Source: NHSBSA)

38. Consumption of antidepressants has almost doubled in ten years: from 70.7 doses per 1,000 inhabitants in 2011 to 138.2 in 2021. (Source: NHSBSA)

39. In 2023, NHS England spent £217.5 million on medication for depression and anxiety. More prescriptions. Not necessarily more responses. (Source: NHSBSA)

Economic Impact of UK Mental Health Statistics

40. Mental health problems cost British society £300 billion a year - more than the entire GDP of Portugal. (Source: Centre for Mental Health, 2024)

41. £175 billion is borne by individuals and families themselves - in lost income, informal care costs and lost quality of life. (Source: Centre for Mental Health)

42. £101 billion is borne by companies - in absenteeism, presenteeism and staff turnover. (Source: Centre for Mental Health)

43. £56 billion a year in lost productivity for British employers, according to Deloitte. For every £1 invested in mental health at work, there is an average return of £5. (Source: Deloitte UK)

44. 5% of UK GDP - estimate of the total cost of mental health to the UK economy. (Source: Mental Health Foundation / LSE)

Where to go for help in the UK

If you or someone close to you needs support now:

Frequently Asked Questions About Mental Health Statistics in the UK

What are the latest mental health statistics in the UK?

The latest statistics (NHS England Digital, 2023-24) show that 22.6% of adults aged 16-64 in England live with a common mental health condition, and that 1.7 million people are on NHS waiting lists for mental health treatment. More than 1 in 4 adults will experience a mental health problem each year.

How many people in the UK suffer from anxiety?

Generalised anxiety disorder (GAD) affects 7.5% of adults in England, making it the most common individual condition. Women are more affected than men across nearly all anxiety disorders, with prevalence two to three times higher in some age groups.

How do I cite these UK mental health statistics?

Use the format below to cite this page:

MORUS, Fabio. Mental Health Statistics in the UK (2024-2026).
Available at: https://fabiomorus.com/en/blog/estatisticas-saude-mental-reino-unido/
Accessed: [date].

Sources Used

How to Cite This Page

MORUS, Fabio. Mental Health Statistics in the United Kingdom (2024-2026).
Available at: https://fabiomorus.com/en/blog/estatisticas-saude-mental-reino-unido-en/
Accessed on: [date].

If this data resonates with something you’re experiencing, taking the first step may be simpler than it seems. Get in touch with Fabio Morus for a no-obligation initial chat.

If you are experiencing a mental health crisis in the UK, call Samaritans: 116 123 (24h, free) or visit samaritans.org.