Mental Health Services: Expenditure

The proportion of total National Health Service spending allocated to mental health services was 8.05% in 2018/19, 8.45% in 2019/20, 8.51% in 2020/21, 8.73% in 2021/22, 8.87% in 2022/23, 9.05% in 2023/24, 8.78% in 2024/25, and 8.68% in 2025/26.

Within the annual statement for NHS mental health spend on 12 March, the former Secretary of State for Health and Social Care announced that the proportion of spend in 2026/27 was forecast to be 8.40%. Further information on the forecast spend is available at the following link:

https://questions-statements.parliament.uk/written-statements/detail/2026-03-12/hcws1397

The proportion of spend forecast for 2026/27 is just 0.28% lower than in 2025/26. This is because of significant additional investment in other core areas of the entire NHS, which will also have ancillary benefits for mental health, including the substantial amounts going into NHS technology and digital transformation, strengthening general practice, expanding community-based services, and establishing neighbourhood health centres. Spending on mental health also continues to increase in real terms and is forecast reach a record £16.1 billion in 2026/27. This represents a real-terms increase of approximately £140 million compared with 2025/26, and approximately £900 million of real-terms growth since 2023/24.

Please note that the figures on the proportion of total NHS spending allocated to mental health services don’t include the significant capital investment we’re making on mental health, as £473 million is being made available over the next four years which includes funding for Mental Health Emergency Departments and Community-Based Mental Health Centres.