Mental Health


15 local areas to deliver Changing Futures programme 19/07/2021 The most vulnerable people across England will receive co-ordinated support to help rebuild their lives, the Government has announced.
Lack of services sees thousands of people with a mental disorder sent to prison, says report 08/06/2021 Thousands of people with a mental health disorder are being sent to prison due to a lack of services, a new report has warned.
Over 800 charities receive share of £4m fund to tackle loneliness 10/05/2021 More than 840 charities and community groups tackling social isolation have received a share of £4m to tackle loneliness, Government says.
The key role local authorities play in the mental health of young migrants and refugees 07/05/2021 Amy Spiller explains how accessing mental health support through their local authorities can have a transformative effect on young people from migrant and refugee backgrounds.
Calls to declare a climate and ecological emergency 06/05/2021 A climate and ecological emergency should be declared to avoid a health and mental health 'catastrophe', the Royal College of Psychiatrists has warned today.
Call to tackle 'mental health crisis' in care sector 27/04/2021 Three quarters of care workers have experienced worsened mental health as a result of the pandemic, new research has warned.
Homeless charity warns calls from young people up a third in past year 21/04/2021 Vulnerable young people have struggled to access the support they need in the past year, a charity has warned in a new report.
Unemployment puts hundreds of thousands more at risk of poor mental health 19/04/2021 An extra 200,000 people are at risk of poor mental health due to unemployment, new analysis has predicted.
Children ‘bearing brunt’ of mental health crisis 09/04/2021 The number of children seeking help for mental health problems increased by 28% during the pandemic, new figures have revealed.
Hancock announces £500m for mental health services 29/03/2021 People with mental health difficulties will benefit from expanded mental health services backed by £500m, the Government announced today.
Funding for addiction services slashed by £26m 29/03/2021 Doctors have called on the Government to invest £43m into youth addiction services to prevent lifelong addiction.
COVID-19: How has the past year affected council staff? 23/03/2021 Council staff have been left feeling ‘undervalued and overwhelmed’ this past year as a result of COVID-19, according to an exclusive survey by LocalGov.
Changing Futures programme extended for three years 19/03/2021 A programme to help people facing multiple issues has been extended with an extra £18m new investment.
Survey reveals 50% of respondents say mental health should be post-pandemic priority 11/03/2021 Nearly half of those who took part in a recent social mobility survey said that the Government should focus on addressing mental health issues as part of its post-pandemic recovery plan.
Multi-million funding boost to increase mental health support in schools 05/03/2021 Nearly three million children in England will have access to mental health teams in their schools, following the allocation of £79m funding.
Budget 2021: Furlough scheme extended until autumn 03/03/2021 The chancellor has extended the furlough scheme and announced further funding for apprenticeships in a bid to soften the impact of COVID-19 on jobs.
Homeless deaths rose by more than a third in past year, warn campaigners 22/02/2021 The number of homeless people who died last year increased by 37% despite the success of the Everyone In scheme, new research has revealed.
Women on the frontline are 'exhausted' survey warns 17/02/2021 Women working in local government have warned the emotional, physical and financial impact of the pandemic is taking its toll, a new survey has revealed.
Report finds strong gender divide in mental health of young people 28/01/2021 Local authority leaders have emphasised the importance of early intervention and prevention services when it comes to tackling mental health issues affecting young people, particularly during the pandemic.
Pandemic could impact children's mental health for years, report warns 28/01/2021 Damage to children's mental health caused by lockdown and school closures could last for years, the Children’s Commissioner has warned today.
How to better support those most at risk of suicide during coronavirus recovery 27/01/2021 As Samaritans launches a new handbook for men’s wellbeing services, Joe Potter explains why it’s crucial that preventative support is prioritised within any COVID recovery plan.
Council chiefs call for mental health services funding 13/01/2021 Local authority leaders have urged the Government to ensure that councils’ mental health services receive the funding they require to meet ‘unmet demand’ in response to a landmark reform of mental health laws.
Majority of adults determined to lead healthier lifestyles in the face of COVID-19 05/01/2021 Seven in 10 adults say that the threat of the coronavirus has motivated them to lead healthier lives this year, a public health survey has revealed.
Government launches £7.5m loneliness package 23/12/2020 The Government has announced a £7.5m funding package to help tackle loneliness during the winter period.
Social workers report significant spike in nation’s mental distress 17/12/2020 Nearly all local authorities have reported an increase in the number of people accessing mental health services for the first time, according to a new survey.
Councils warn about 'significant' overspends on children’s services 24/11/2020 The number of vulnerable young people referred to councils’ children’s services increased by 15% in the first three months after the first lockdown, figures have shown.
Commission calls for action to reduce mental health inequalities 12/11/2020 The coronavirus pandemic has highlighted existing inequalities in mental health, a new report has warned.
Food poverty linked to mental and physical distress 10/11/2020 New research has revealed that people who have experienced food poverty are more likely to live with obesity and suffer from increased levels of physical and mental distress.
Holyrood announces £15m for young people with mental health issues 03/11/2020 The Scottish government has announced that £15m will be made available to local authorities to help them support children and young people who are struggling with mental health issues.
Survey reveals 'worrying picture' of children's mental health 23/10/2020 One in six children now have a probable mental disorder, up from one in nine in 2017, new figures have revealed.
Report calls for extra investment in women's centres 20/10/2020 The Government has been urged to invest more funding in women's centres to help reduce the number of women in prison, in a new report published today.
Hancock announces £400m to remove dormitories from mental health facilities 12/10/2020 More than £400m will be committed over the next four years to remove dormitory accommodation from mental health facilities, the Government says.
Children ‘responded with resilience’ to lockdown, study says 12/10/2020 Young people have faced a number of mental health challenges during the lockdown but overall they have reported relatively stable levels of happiness, according to the Government’s second State of the Nation report.
Ten million people may need mental health support due to pandemic, study warns 01/10/2020 Local authority leaders have called for a ‘new national focus’ on mental health as a study estimates that up to 10 million people in England may need support for depression and anxiety as a result of COVID-19.
Funding boost to train hundreds more mental health social workers 29/09/2020 A £27m funding boost will create 480 new mental health social workers over the next three years, the Government has confirmed.
Four-day week in public sector could create 500,000 new jobs, think tank argues 01/09/2020 The public sector should pioneer a shorter working week with no loss of pay, a think tank has argued.
Cycling and walking ‘on prescription’ in the West Midlands 26/08/2020 Healthcare professionals are piloting a scheme in the West Midlands which will ‘prescribe’ outdoor activities for some people with poor mental health.
Psychiatrists call for suspension of fines for children who can’t attend school 26/08/2020 The Royal College of Psychiatrists has called for the suspension of fines for children who can't attend school due to Covid-related anxiety.
Demand could overwhelm mental health services, report warns 12/08/2020 People with mental health issues are at risk of not getting the support they need due to increasing demand caused by the coronavirus pandemic, a report has warned today.
Calls for urgent investment in mental health recovery 07/08/2020 Investment in mental health is crucial to seeing the country through the next phases of the pandemic, a new report has said today.
Pandemic leaves one in five teenagers unhappy with their lives 30/07/2020 More than a million teenagers are unhappy with their lives, according to new research looking at the impact lockdown has had on well-being.
Unsafe mental health wards are a 'disaster waiting to happen' 23/07/2020 Old and overcrowded mental health wards are putting patients at risk, new research has warned today.
Funding boost for local mental health projects 01/06/2020 The Government has awarded £5m funding to help community projects support people with their mental health during the pandemic.
Young people's mental health more at risk during lockdown, research finds 15/05/2020 Young people are more likely to suffer from poor mental health under lockdown than older adults, research has revealed.
Government announces £1m ‘boost’ to student mental health support 05/03/2020 Student groups most at risk of poor mental health will benefit from more targeted support through a £1m Government funding boost.
Study finds 64,000 UC recipients suffer ‘psychological distress’ 02/03/2020 New research has found that tens of thousands of people have experienced ‘psychological distress’ due to the introduction of Universal Credit (UC).
Majority of homeless women suffer mental health issues 17/02/2020 A new study has revealed that the vast majority of women who are homeless suffer from physical or mental health issues.
New 60-day 'breathing space period' for those in problem debt 06/02/2020 People in problem debt, including those that owe money to local authorities, are to get two months ‘breathing space’ under Government plans.
Best practice to help children avoid reaching crisis point 04/02/2020 Historic underfunding and a fragmented system are preventing councils from stopping more children from reaching crisis point, a new report has found.
Number of schools commissioning mental health support ‘doubles’ 03/02/2020 The number of schools commissioning professional help for children’s mental health issues has almost doubled in the last four years, a survey has revealed.
'Chasm' exists in children's mental health services, Commissioner warns 30/01/2020 There is a ‘chasm’ between what mental health services children need and what is available, the Children’s Commissioner for England has warned today.
Revolutionising mental health 22/01/2020 Cllr Jasmine Ali explains how Southwark Council is putting plans into action to revolutionise children’s mental health in Southwark.
Commission calls for action on ‘unequal risk of mental ill health’ 21/01/2020 Some groups of people have a much higher risk of poor mental health than others, the Commission for Equality in Mental Health has found.
A quarter of children rejected for mental health support, report finds 10/01/2020 More than a quarter of young people referred for mental health treatment are being turned away from help, a new report has revealed.
Parents of children with mental health issues left to ‘fend for themselves’ 03/01/2020 Seven out of 10 parents with children who suffer from mental health problems say they fear for their children due to poor quality of mental health services.
Thousands of inpatients with learning disabilities and autism to receive care review 05/11/2019 Thousands of people with learning disabilities and autism that have detained in a mental health hospital will have their care reviewed over the next 12 months, the Government announced today.
£2m loneliness fund launched 15/10/2019 The Government has launched a new £2m fund to help support grassroots organisations at the frontline of tackling loneliness.
Majority of children ‘happy’, report finds 10/10/2019 The overwhelming majority of children in the UK are happy, according to an official report.
Half of mental health patients with diabetes not receiving ‘vital checks’ 08/10/2019 A charity has called on the NHS to better integrate mental health and diabetes care after it was revealed that half of those needing treatment in both areas are not receiving vital checks.
Whitehall announces £35m mental health research programme 07/10/2019 The Government today announced a £35m programme dedicated to researching teenage mental health issues.
Multi-million funding to transform community mental health services 30/09/2019 Mental health services in 12 areas of England are to share £70m funding to deliver new specialist services.
Majority of young carers suffer mental health issues, study shows 25/09/2019 A new study has revealed that nearly two thirds of young carers in the UK suffer from mental health problems because of their caring duties.
How accommodation can support student wellbeing 09/09/2019 The number of students seeking mental health support while studying at university has increased by more than 50% in the last five years – and their accommodation can play a huge part in this. Zachary Spire explains.
Quarter of a million children ‘unhappy’, charity says 28/08/2019 Council chiefs have called for more funds for children’s services after a charity found quarter of a million teenagers in the UK are unhappy.
Government announces over £3m to support children with mental health issues 20/08/2019 Children and young people are to benefit from a £3.3m injection of cash into local community projects, the Government has announced.
Whitehall urged to adopt ‘social model’ for dealing with mental health issues 17/07/2019 MPs and social workers have called on the Government to recognise the role of social factors when treating people with mental illnesses.
Hinds launches £9m mental health training scheme 12/07/2019 Pupils struggling with mental health are to benefit from more 'joined up care and support', education secretary Damien Hinds has announced.
Majority of young people experience mental health issues, poll reveals 02/07/2019 Three in five young people have experienced a mental health problem or are close to someone who has, according to a new survey.
Council chiefs warn of ‘children’s mental health crisis’ 01/07/2019 Local authority leaders have warned that social services are seeing more than 560 cases of children with mental health disorders every day – an increase of more than 50% in just four years.
Carers increasingly ‘depressed’, survey reveals 25/06/2019 Carers are feeling stressed and depressed working in what is an increasingly over-stretched and underfunded care system, a new survey has revealed.
PM commits £600,000 to support suicide prevention plans 21/06/2019 The first ever review of local suicide prevention planning in England has revealed that some councils are struggling to deliver on their prevention plans.
Charity warns cuts to children’s services ‘undermine’ mental health agenda 17/06/2019 A children’s charity has welcomed the Prime Minister’s ‘new mission’ to put prevention at the top of the mental health agenda, but warn that cuts to children’s services undermine progress in this area.
Domestic abuse victims more likely to develop a mental illness 07/06/2019 Women suffering domestic abuse are three times more likely than others to develop mental illness, according to a study.
Wales champions council tax discounts for mentally impaired 10/04/2019 A new initiative will make it easier for people with a severe mental impairment to receive a council tax discount.
Nearly two thirds of councils cut mental health services for children 10/04/2019 Around 60% of local authority areas have seen a real-terms fall in spending on low-level mental health services for children, a new report has revealed.
Protections for people who lack mental capacity must be 'robust', MPs say 02/04/2019 A new definition of what constitutes 'liberty' will be included in the Mental Capacity Act to help protect vulnerable people, the Government has announced.
Supporting people with dementia 27/03/2019 Paul Smith and Francis Philippa explain how four different pilot projects have helped improve the quality of life for people living with dementia.
Around 15,000 patients with neurological conditions ‘let down’ by care system 18/03/2019 Councils are not routinely recording whether someone they are providing services for has a neurological condition, making these patients ‘invisible’.
Benefits system causing ‘serious psychological distress’ 04/03/2019 The benefits system is causing people with mental health problems ‘serious psychological distress’, a charity has revealed.
One in 13 young people suffer from PTSD 22/02/2019 One in 13 young people have had post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) before reaching age 18, new research has revealed.
Schools to try ‘mindfulness’ in new mental health trials 04/02/2019 Hundreds of children and young people are to take part in trials testing a range of ‘innovative techniques’ designed to support good mental health in schools, the education secretary has announced.
Whitehall urges councils to put ‘effective’ suicide prevention plans in place 23/01/2019 Every local authority is required to put an effective suicide prevention plan in place under a new Government drive to tackle suicide.
Council chiefs warn of scams targeting the vulnerable 16/01/2019 Local authority leaders have called on carers and families to be aware of fraud targeting older and more vulnerable people.
One in four ‘sandwich carers’ suffer mental health problems 15/01/2019 Over a quarter of ‘sandwich carers’ report symptoms of mental ill-health and are struggling financially, according to the latest statistics.
Children with mental health conditions are being 'failed' by NHS say MPs 14/01/2019 Young people with a mental health condition are being failed by the NHS as they are not receiving the treatment they need, MPs have warned.
Brokenshire announces proposals to help veterans access social housing 09/01/2019 The Government has announced it is consulting on proposals that would mean members of the Armed Forces and veterans suffering from mental health issues will be prioritised for social housing.
New mental health teams set to support 500,000 children 20/12/2018 Half a million children and young people are set to benefit from new mental health support teams, secretary of state for health and social care has announced.
Whitehall to ‘transform’ mental health care 06/12/2018 The Government today announced it will introduce a new Mental Health Bill in order to ‘transform’ mental health care.
Southwark commits to 100% treatment rate for children with mental health conditions 30/11/2018 Southwark Council has become the first local authority in the country to commit to a 100% treatment rate by 2020 for children with mental health conditions.
One in eight children have a mental disorder, data reveals 23/11/2018 One in eight children and young people aged between five and 19 have a mental disorder, according to a survey.
Commissioner warns children are being failed by mental health services 22/11/2018 Mental health services for children and young people are generally improving but progress is slow, according to the children's commissioner.
A third of teenagers experience mental health problems 18/10/2018 A third of 15 to 18-year-olds are suffering from mental health and emotional wellbeing issues, according to campaigners.
A missed opportunity? 12/10/2018 The Mental Health (Amendment) Bill should soften financial and operational pressure on local authorities, but it will still leave them open to legal exposure, argues Morris Hill.
Poverty can lead to self-harm and violent crime, study shows 11/10/2018 Children from poorer families are at ‘significantly greater risk’ of being involved in violent crime and harming themselves later in life, new study shows.
Libraries support people with mental health issues, say council chiefs 11/10/2018 Local government leaders have described how novel library services are helping people cope with a range of mental health problems.
Watchdog warns of 'significant unmet need’ for children’s mental health services 10/10/2018 There is still 'some way to go' before mental and physical health for young people are treated with the same importance, the official spending watchdog warns.
Children’s mental health referrals increase by a quarter 08/10/2018 The number of referrals to specialist children’s mental health services has increased by 26% over the last five years, an education think tank has revealed.
Social prescribing pilots for mental health patients launched in Wales 01/10/2018 The Welsh health secretary today announced new early intervention pilots to help reduce reliance by mental health patients on prescription medication.
Children with mental health issues face youth services ‘black hole’ 12/09/2018 Three-quarters of young people looking for support for mental health issues become more unwell before they can access treatment, charity reveals.
Vulnerable offenders increasingly referred to health services rather than prison 10/08/2018 Offenders with mental health, alcohol and drug abuse problems are increasingly being referred to health services as part of community sentences.

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