Issued by: Department for Science, Innovation and Technology, Department of Health and Social Care, Medical Research Council, and UK Research and Innovation

People with mental health issues to benefit from groundbreaking research, backed by £50 million in government funding

• People with mental health issues to benefit from groundbreaking research, backed by £50 million in government funding, that could deliver more effective treatments

• Poor mental health affects 1 in 4 people in England, and its impact costs the UK economy £300 billion a year

• The Mental Health Goals programme will attract industry partnerships and commercial clinical trials to the UK, supporting our £100 billion life sciences sector to grow and delivering on Plan for Change

People with experience of mental health problems will be brought into the heart of cutting edge research to develop more effective treatments, as part of up to £50 million funding being announced by the Government on Mental Health Day (Friday 10 October).

This crucial work will make sure that the latest innovations in mental healthcare truly focus on solving the problems that could meaningfully change their lives. This backing will supercharge the efforts of researchers who are bringing the best of British science to help people manage their illness and prevent issues from escalating, with measures also planned to improve access to the UK’s world-class medical research data and facilities.

Improving life for the millions of Britons living with mental health problems is one of the most pressing healthcare challenges facing the UK today. Poor mental health affects 1 in 4 people in England alone, and is the UK’s single biggest driver of disability, with enormous consequences on people’s quality of life.

Similarly, the economic impact is vast, with mental health problems costing the economy some £300 billion a year (https://shorturl.at/EgYdN) owing to unemployment, staff absence, and the costs of care. Improving this picture forms an important part of delivering the health and economic growth missions that are central to the Plan for Change.

The funding being announced today, on World Mental Health Day, will:

• Be used to set up a cohort of 20,000 volunteers, whose health data can be securely used for mental health research. This will provide a better, data-driven, understanding of how our biology links to our mental health.

• Enable the creation of an Industry Alliance Team: a new point of entry for innovators to get streamlined support to access to the UK’s high quality mental health research facilities, health data, as well as wider support in rapidly standing up clinical trials.

• Launch a pioneering new Lived Experience Industry Partnership, to ensure that people who have actually experienced mental health problems are at the heart of how research is prioritised and undertaken by industry – giving them an impactful voice in this important work, so that efforts truly focus on tackling problems that can meaningfully change their lives.

Science Minister Lord Vallance said:

"Mental health problems blight the lives of millions of people across the country. This isn’t something we should just accept. Scientific research has led to breakthroughs that are changing the game for physical problems, like cancer, and heart disease. We should be every bit as ambitious for what science can do in tackling mental health challenges as well.

"That is why this funding matters and what our Plan for Change delivers. 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:

"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.

"That’s why we are building an NHS fit for the future, including by investing £50 million to back research into breakthrough treatments that could transform millions of lives through effective mental health support, tailored to their needs.

"We are also hiring 8,500 extra mental health workers, delivering more talking therapies and providing better access to help through the NHS App through our 10 Year Health Plan."

Co-Chair of the Mental Health Goals programme, Professor Kathryn Abel, said:

"This programme goes far beyond funding research – it’s about creating a step change in the way we deliver innovation for improved mental health outcomes. Building the infrastructure and partnerships needed to make the UK the most attractive place in the world for mental health innovation is key for the investment needed for change. At its heart is a new kind of collaboration between people with lived experience and industry, built on mutual respect, aligned priorities and shared purpose. We cannot deliver meaningful progress without industry, and industry cannot succeed without listening to those most affected. This is how we change the system – together."

Co-Chair of the Mental Health Goals programme, Professor Husseini Manji, said:

"With this landmark investment, we have the chance to do for mental health what has been done in other areas of medicine - turn cutting-edge science into real breakthroughs that change lives. By combining world-class research, powerful data, and the wisdom of lived experience, we will help develop novel therapies truly tailored to patients’ needs. By embedding lived experience at the heart of research, we will ensure that new therapies are designed not just to work in theory, but to make a real and lasting difference in people’s lives. Our goal is simple: to bring better care to everyone affected by mental health challenges."

Up to £50 million will be delivered over the next 5 years, under the Government’s Mental Health Goals (https://shorturl.at/hkobT) programme, which was set up to speed up the pace at which new mental health medicines, technologies and therapies can be tested, proven, and then put to work. The Medical Research Council, part of UK Research and Innovation, will deliver investments enhancing mental health research data and digital infrastructure.

A central part of the Mental Health Goals programme is ensuring people with lived experience of mental health problems have a genuinely meaningful voice as new treatments and therapies are worked on.

One example of what this can look like in practice is the work by DATAMIND (https://datamind.org.uk), a mental health research hub funded principally by the Medical Research Council. DATAMIND worked with people with lived experience of mental health problems to produce a plain-English glossary of commonly-used mental health data science terms. This is a simple tool with powerful results: helping people to understand and have greater influence over how their health data is being used, building trust, and supporting them to engage confidently with research and trials in which they are participating to shape it for the better.

Major advances in genetics, neuroscience, imaging, and data science, as well emerging new digital technologies that could improve treatment, have immense potential to overhaul how we tackle mental health problems.

Bolstered by today’s investment, the Mental Health Goals programme will support researchers, the NHS and patients to work together to seize this opportunity. Efforts to improve the story on mental health underpin the wider work of the Life Sciences Sector Plan, to unleash life sciences as a force to better our health and wealth, and the 10 Year Health Plan, which is moving the health service from treatment to prevention.

Stakeholder support for the Mental Health Goals programme:

Rachel Hastings-Caplan, Clinical Research Policy Manager at Rethink Mental Illness, said:

"We are delighted to see government investment to develop a new generation of effective mental health treatments. People living with severe mental illness often face limited treatment options and must rely on medications that, while lifesaving, can cause significant side effects. For too long there has been a need for greater investment in mental health research, coupled with improved research infrastructure within the NHS and the meaningful involvement of people with lived experience throughout the process. We are pleased that government is addressing these issues with this new initiative, which we hope will ensure mental health treatments that are effective and make a real difference in people’s lives."

Dr Vanessa Pinfold, co-founder and research director at The McPin Foundation said:

"We welcome the ambition to put lived experience at the centre of this new investment in mental health research. Those with lived experience of mental health issues should always have a leading role in the design and delivery of this type of research, working as core partners and decision makers. Working with industry, trust needs to be developed carefully. Transparency must be built into the principle of all partnership working, and this level of resource and ambition demonstrates this will be possible. We hope that this investment is a commitment to long-lasting system change and better outcomes for those living with mental health issues."

Andrew Davies, Executive Director of Digital Health at the ABHI said:

"Mental health remains one of the most significant societal challenges of our time, and we all have a responsibility to support better, more personalised and compassionate care. HealthTech has a vital role to play in this mission, from digital tools that enhance early diagnosis and treatment adherence, to technologies that enable continuous support and recovery. This investment represents an important step forward in harnessing the UK’s world-class research and innovation capabilities to deliver meaningful improvements for people living with mental health conditions."

Miranda Wolpert, Director of Mental Health at Wellcome, said:

"Mental health conditions affect so many of us, yet for too many, current treatments can fall short. This new investment is a vital step towards unlocking the untapped potential of science to deliver more effective and personalised approaches. Crucially, by bringing people with lived experience together with industry experts , this programme ensures that innovation is driven by the needs of those it aims to serve. It’s an exciting opportunity to reshape mental health care in ways that can make a real and lasting difference."

ENDS

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