The government has announced up to £50 million in new funding to accelerate research into mental health treatments and technologies, marking one of the largest single public investments in the field.
Unveiled to coincide with World Mental Health Day, the initiative aims to put people with lived experience of mental health problems “at the heart” of scientific innovation — shaping how future therapies and medicines are developed.
The new funding forms part of the government’s Mental Health Goals programme, designed to speed up the testing, approval, and rollout of new mental health treatments across the NHS. The Medical Research Council (MRC) will oversee delivery through UK Research and Innovation, with a focus on improving access to Britain’s world-class health data and research infrastructure.
Building a new model for mental health innovation
Under the plan, up to £50 million will be invested over the next five years to:
• Create a 20,000-person volunteer cohort whose securely held health data will be used to explore how biology, lifestyle and environment influence mental wellbeing.
• Establish an Industry Alliance Team to connect innovators and companies with NHS research facilities, trial networks and data platforms.
• Launch a Lived Experience Industry Partnership, ensuring that people who have experienced mental health problems directly shape research priorities, design and delivery.
Science Minister Lord Vallance said the investment reflects a step change in ambition for mental health research.
“Scientific research has led to breakthroughs that are changing the game for physical health problems like cancer and heart disease. We should be every bit as ambitious for what science can do in tackling mental health challenges,” he said.
“By making the right resources readily accessible we can look to a future where mental health is tackled faster, more precisely, and more effectively.”
Health Minister Stephen Kinnock said the funding would support the NHS in developing breakthrough treatments tailored to patients’ needs.
“Too many people across Britain are struggling with poor mental health. It doesn’t have to be this way — and we’re determined to change it,” he said.
“That’s why we’re investing £50 million to back research into treatments that could transform millions of lives, while also hiring 8,500 extra mental health workers and expanding access to talking therapies and digital support.”
The initiative is being co-chaired by Professor Kathryn Abel and Professor Husseini Manji, who described the programme as a “landmark investment” that will unite science, data and lived experience to drive real progress.
Professor Abel said the programme aims to make the UK the “most attractive place in the world for mental health innovation”, while ensuring that industry listens directly to patients.
“At its heart is a new kind of collaboration built on mutual respect and shared purpose,” she said. “We cannot deliver meaningful progress without industry — and industry cannot succeed without listening to those most affected.”
Professor Manji added: “We have the chance to do for mental health what has been done in other areas of medicine — turning cutting-edge science into real breakthroughs that change lives.”
Mental health problems affect one in four people in England and are the leading cause of disability in the UK. The cost to the economy is estimated at £300 billion a year, driven by lost productivity, staff absence and care costs.
The government said improving mental health outcomes is central to its Plan for Change, which ties together health and economic growth missions.
The funding also supports the wider Life Sciences Sector Plan and the 10-Year Health Plan, which aim to shift the NHS from treatment to prevention by harnessing data, genomics and digital health technologies.
Mental health charities and research groups welcomed the announcement.
Rachel Hastings-Caplan of Rethink Mental Illness said: “People living with severe mental illness often face limited treatment options. We are pleased that government is addressing the need for greater investment in mental health research and involving people with lived experience throughout the process.”
Dr Vanessa Pinfold, co-founder of the McPin Foundation, said the focus on lived experience was “a commitment to long-lasting system change”.
Andrew Davies, Executive Director of Digital Health at the ABHI, said: “HealthTech has a vital role to play in improving early diagnosis, treatment adherence and continuous support. This investment represents an important step forward in harnessing the UK’s world-class innovation capabilities.”
Miranda Wolpert, Director of Mental Health at Wellcome, added: “This new investment is a vital step towards unlocking the untapped potential of science to deliver more effective and personalised approaches.”
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£50m government boost for mental health research to deliver better treatments