Key facts
- Over two-thirds of NHS providers in England plan to cut mental health services.
- Nearly half of NHS providers expect to reduce their workforce.
- Services for children, talking therapies, and addiction support are at risk.
- A survey indicated 68% of trusts may reduce or close services in 2026-27.
- 57% of trusts are likely to cut clinical staff this year.
- East London foundation trust plans £25m in cuts, including hundreds of jobs.
Millions of adults and children in England are at risk of longer waits for mental health care as more than two-thirds of NHS providers plan to cut services and nearly half intend to reduce staff numbers. The findings, revealed by a Guardian survey, highlight severe financial pressures on trusts, with many facing significant deficits.
Key services including child and adolescent mental health care, talking therapies, addiction support, and community programs for vulnerable groups may be affected. The survey indicated that 68% of NHS trusts providing mental health services are likely to reduce or shut some services in the 2026-27 financial year. Furthermore, 59% expect to freeze vacancies, and 57% are likely to cut clinical staff.
Experts warn that these proposed cuts, aimed at plugging financial holes, will have substantial consequences for the wider NHS, the economy, and public services. Mental health charities, while welcoming government ambitions for improved care, stated that meaningful progress is impossible without adequate funding for staff and services.
One affected trust, East London foundation trust, plans to cut hundreds of jobs to address a £25m deficit. NHS mental health professionals anonymously confirmed that similar plans are being developed across the country, fearing that reduced services will compromise patient safety. The NHS Alliance noted that while innovation exists, difficult decisions over jobs and services are becoming unavoidable due to rising demand and tight finances.
The survey also revealed concerns that the focus on financial balancing could hinder efforts to provide more community-based and preventive care. The share of national NHS spending on mental health is projected to decrease for the third consecutive year.
In response, a Department of Health and Social Care spokesperson stated that the government is investing a record £16.1bn into mental health services this year, has recruited over 8,500 additional mental health workers, and announced the rollout of 159 new NHS mental health facilities backed by £343m in funding. A future mental health strategy is planned to address earlier intervention and reduce waiting times.