Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:

To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, for what reason he plans to reduce the allocation of NHS funding for mental health services in 2025-26.

We are determined to transform NHS mental health services, with a shift to prevention and earlier intervention. Spending on mental health support will increase relative to 2024/25 and is forecast to amount to £15.6 billion in 2025/26. That is an increase of £688 million in cash terms.

All integrated care boards are expected to meet the Mental Health Investment Standard (MHIS) in 2025/26 by increasing their investment in mental health services in line with their overall increase in funding for the year.

Mental health’s share of total National Health Service spend has fallen slightly by 0.07% in 2025/26 as a result of increased investment in other areas, for example in bringing down waiting lists for elective operations and additional investment in general practice. While elective and GP investment is not included in mental health funding, mental wellbeing is a biopsychosocial phenomenon and this funding is also likely to impact positively on mental health outcomes.