Constituencies that Care

Why voters are looking to the next election for improvements to the nation’s mental health 

Imagine a cause that has strong public support, would ease the burden on the NHS, embolden our economy, and improve the lives of millions of people in the process. Mental health has never been a higher public priority than it is today, with an attitudinal shift being matched by a desire for tangible change. 

Our report sets out the case for why political parties should prioritise mental health at the next general election. It features exclusive polling from research agency More in Common, which shows a public that is ahead of the curve and demanding action. The population now ranks mental health as a more important issue than unemployment, industrial action, and Brexit. Under 40s rank its importance even above climate change. There is scarcely an issue that has risen so fast up the public agenda, from being viewed as a relatively niche area of health, to a national priority in its own right.

Three reasons why political parties must prioritise mental illness at the next General Election

1. It can help change lives and livelihoods
   
   Mental illness affects millions of people across the UK and can be life changing. Too often, those severely affected find themselves in and out of hospital, unemployed or underemployed, homeless, and facing premature mortality, including through suicide. Everyone knows someone who has suffered through mental illness; they deserve a better quality of life.
     
2. It will help our NHS and economy
   
   Our health system is going through a crisis. The pandemic, compounded by the country’s ageing population and other workforce pressures, have created the perfect storm. Prevention is the only way forward, and preventative measures on mental illness can ease pressure on the NHS, as well as on other aspects of our societal infrastructure. Mental health problems costs the UK economy at least £118 billion a year. It is better for society for people to be well, thriving, and investing in their community than unwell, struggling and relying on services. 
   
   
3. It is what your voters demand 
   
   Exclusive new polling shows public support for government action to tackle mental illness, and demonstrates that this is an issue that could change voting intention among a sizeable chunk of the population. The public are ahead of government on mental health and expecting government to catch up. 

How we can deliver change with the next government

Rethink Mental Illness has been working alongside government, civil servants and political parties on a range of issues, and our team of policy experts are constantly developing innovative and evidence-based ways to improve mental health outcomes, with solutions that are both feasible and tangible. 

We want to work with the next government to improve lives, take pressure off the NHS and save taxpayer money. Across the following areas in particular, political parties can make commitments now which can be achieved in the next parliament by industry and government delivering together: 

• A 21st century Mental Health Act: The Mental Health Act is the single most significant piece of legislation impacting people severely affected by mental illness, as it concerns the circumstances in which a person can be detained under section. It is also 40 years old and in desperate need of reform. 
  
• Cross-government focus for a cross government issue: As detailed throughout the report, the most crucial commitment any incoming government can make is to delivering a long term, cross government plan for mental health. The Department for Health and Social Care (DHSC) has already conducted a wide ranging consultation on what such a plan could include and a coalition of mental health charities, the Mental Health Policy Group, is dedicated to supporting government designing and implementing a plan building on work across all Government departments. 
  
• Investing in the NHS and social care: In 2019, the sector welcomed £2.3bn per year of investment for NHS mental health services until 2023/24. Since then, the pandemic has had an enormous impact on the mental health of many, especially young people, and has contributed to a wider crisis in the health system and social care. 
  
• More places to call home: Access to homes is another important predictor of mental health outcomes. Supported housing can be imperative for preventing deterioration, but also for recovery from a period of severe mental illness. However, at present there are not enough supported housing options for those who need them. The number of days of delayed mental health hospital discharge due to a lack of supported accommodation has risen by 70% in the last year to 68,626. Each of those days costs taxpayer money, costs individuals their liberties, and takes valuable bed space away from others in need. 
  
• Putting young people at the core of mental health reform: The impact of the pandemic on young peoples’ mental health has been vast, with a 53% increase in under-18s referred to Child and Adolescent Mental Health services in 2022 compared to 20195. There has been increasing political focus on this issue, which we welcome. A prevention led approach can only work if it has young people at its core. 
  
• Money and mental health: The link between money and mental health is clear, with financial and economic struggles strongly correlated with mental health worsening. The government should be aware of these links and work not to exacerbate them. We need careful reform of the welfare system to ensure approaches to assessments are rooted in lived experience, and trauma-informed. It should be possible to assess capability without making illnesses worse by sanctioning people improperly. We welcome commitments from all major parties to address this issue, and we are confident that we can create a new, fairer system, alongside a focus on supporting those who want to stay in or return to work. 

The next government’s strategy on mental health must be underpinned but these principles, because a prevention-led, cross-government agenda, will benefit the country's population, institutions and the economy. 

For more information, email jonathan.andrew@rethink.org