Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:

To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, what assessment his Department has made of the adequacy of (a) current waiting times and (b) levels of access to specialist counselling support for survivors of domestic abuse and sexual violence for people from disadvantaged socio-economic backgrounds.

We know that too many people, including survivors of domestic abuse and sexual violence, are not receiving the mental health care they need, and that waits for mental health services are too long. We are determined to change that, which is why we have chosen to prioritise funding to expand NHS Talking Therapies. This means that the number of people completing a course of treatment is expected to increase by 384,000 by 2028/29. Latest data from NHS England for June 2025 shows that 89.1% of people completing Talking Therapies treatment waited less than six weeks for their first appointment, against a target of 75%. 98.6% of people completing treatment waited less than 18 weeks, against a target of 95%.

Protecting and supporting child and adult victims and survivors of sexual abuse is a core priority for NHS England, delivered through a network of 48 specialist sexual assault referral centres (SARCs) across the country. NHS England commissions SARCs through a distinct national service specification including working with specialist support services, ensuring that children and young people aged up to 18 years old receive trauma-informed, developmentally appropriate care and safeguarding support, and that adults receive tailored care that reflects their needs and rights, with clear referral pathways to health, justice, and specialist support services. NHS England does not hold national information on current waiting times and access for people from disadvantaged socio-economic backgrounds to specialist counselling support for survivors of domestic abuse and sexual violence.

This is in addition to the support services commissioned by the Ministry of Justice and the Home Office.