The General Election is just over a week away, and we have now seen most, if not all, parties' manifestos.
You can find an overview below of what each party is pledging around mental health, as well as policies that might tangentially impact on counsellors & psychotherapists. We have also taken the time to write to the three largest parties with questions about their manifesto, where it will impact our members and members of the public - these questions are included alongside the manifesto summary.
We will let members know if we receive a reply from any of the parties to whom we asked questions.
You may choose to vote based on these pledges, but we would still encourage you to read each manifesto in full (where you have a candidate in your area). We have included links so you can find the manifestos easily.
If there’s a manifesto that you think is missing, then it’s probably because it hasn’t been released yet, or wasn’t released at the time of writing this. Please rest assured that we will be covering all manifestos when they’re available, but do feel free to get in touch to check if you’re not sure.
Please note that the Society is a politically active organisation, but also a politically neutral organisation. We work with people across the political spectrum to promote and protect our members, and to represent your needs and those of your clients. We don’t advocate for any particular political party, and encourage our members to ask questions and engage with the issues that are important to them.
Please also note that we have tried to distil each manifesto to the key pledges relevant to our profession, sometimes tangentially, and therefore removed some of the context. For example, some pledges around the NHS budgets, taxes, and workforce may impact some members that work in the NHS and may also impact on future NHS employment opportunities.
The parties are included in alphabetical order.
- Alliance
You can read the manifesto in full here
[Alliance MPs will demand] a trans-inclusive ban on so-called Conversion Therapy that extends to NI.
[Alliance will] continue to press for long-term transformation and public spending on an ‘invest to save’ basis. There is much more we can do with the money we have to ensure quality public services for people in NI.
Alliance will continue to advocate for reform of the Fiscal Framework on a strategic and fiscally prudent basis, to benefit public services.
- Conservative Party
Read the full Conservative Party manifesto here
The Conservative Party makes the following promises:
- Expand NHS Talking Therapies to support people with anxiety, stress, and depression.
- Expand Mental Health Support Teams for young people.
- Commit to providing better treatment and support for severe mental health needs.
- Recognition of mental health needs within the context of women's health.
- Expansion in mental health support as part of disability benefits reform.
- Recognition of the importance of addressing mental health in the context of employment and welfare.
- Emphasis on supporting children's mental health and well-being.
- Publication of the Major Conditions Strategy (that includes mental health).
Here is some of the relevant detail from their Manifesto:
Improving mental health support
- To support children, young people and adults with their mental health, they will:
- Expand coverage of Mental Health Support Teams from 50% to 100% of schools and colleges in England by 2030
- Open early support hubs for those aged 11-25 in every local community by 2030.
- Increase the planned expansion of NHS Talking Therapies by 50%, supporting people with anxiety, stress and depression
- Boost the capacity of Individual Placement and Support for Severe Mental Illness by 140,000 places.
- Pass a new law to provide better treatment and support for severe mental health needs in the first session of the next Parliament.
- They will continue to work with schools and local authorities to improve school attendance, including through more mental health support.
- They will deliver additional funding for maternal safety and improve access to mental health services for new mums.
- They will extend patients’ right to choose to more NHS community services over time, including diagnostics, talking therapies and other mental health services.
- They will deliver expansion in mental health support within the context of disability benefits
- They will change the assessments from September 2025 so that those with more moderate mental health issues or mobility problems who could potentially engage with the world of work are given tailored support.
The NCPS asked the Conservative Party the following questions:
- Is the Conservative Party aware of Barnardo’s research and proposal around the MHST+ model? Our research into Mental Health Support Teams shows that a variety of roles, but significantly including counselling, is important in schools.
- Can the Conservative Party confirm that the early support hubs will prioritise counselling provision, alongside other vital interventions?
- How does the Conservative Party plan on resourcing the expansion of NHS Talking Therapies?
- We are heartened to read about extending patients’ right to choose, including talking therapies and other mental health services. Has the Conservative Party considered how a model allowing clients to choose their own therapist from Accredited Registers might work?
- Has the Conservative Party considered how it might utilise the existing counselling & psychotherapy workforce to support broadening mental health provision in relation to disability benefit reform?
- DUP
You can read the manifesto in full here
[DUP MPs will support] increasing funding for […] mental health support services within the criminal justice system, including prison service
DUP MPs will press the next Government to ensure that funding cannot drop below the definition of assessed need in NI - £124 for every £100spent in England. We will also campaign for Northern Ireland’s baseline funding to be increased proportionately by the same amount above need as the Government applied to Wales with a new needs-based factor and 5% transitional uplift. Collectively this will be worth hundreds of millions of pounds in additional resources for our government departments every year moving forward.
[DUP MPs will campaign to] drive waiting lists down – fostering large-scale partnerships between health and social care in NI and national independent providers or not-for-profit organisations.
- Green Party
Read the full Green Party manifesto here
Mental health
- Elected Greens will ensure that the rights of those struggling with their mental health are respected and that a legal framework supports all people to live fulfilling lives.
- Elected Greens will focus on enabling major improvements to mental health care to put it on a truly equal footing with physical health care. This will include ensuring that everyone who needs it can access evidence-based mental health therapies within 28 days.
- They will ensure that tailored and specific provision is readily available for the particular needs of communities of colour, children and adolescents, older people and Lesbian, Gay Bisexual, Trans, Intersex, Queer and Asexual (LGBTIQA+) communities.
- They will also push for more accessible and prompt mental health needs assessments for children and adolescents.
- They state that the investment in primary care set out above will create easier access to these services in all communities.
- They will ensure that neurodivergent children and those with special needs are adequately supported, including in the school system, to live rich and fulfilling lives.
- They will provide a trained and paid counsellor in every primary and secondary school, and every sixth-form college. This work will be supported through bursaries to train counsellors from underrepresented backgrounds to ensure we have sufficient culturally aware counsellors for our diverse population.
Child health and wellbeing
Green MPs will:
• Give children and students at all statefunded schools and colleges access to a qualified counsellor.
- Labour Party
Read the full Labour Party manifesto here
The Labour Party promise to:
- Increase access to specialist mental health professionals in every school
- Implement Young Futures Hubs
- Train 8,500 additional mental health staff
- Expand self-referral routes
- Introduce Neighbourhood Health Centres
- Modernise the Mental Health Act
- Provide mental health support for veterans
- Deliver a full trans-inclusive ban on conversion practices
Detail from their manifesto:
- Labour will provide access to specialist mental health professionals in every school, so every young person has access to early support to address problems before they escalate. This will complement our plan for Young Futures Hubs, which will make sure every community has an open-access hub for children and young people with drop-in mental health support. These hubs will have youth workers, mental health support workers, and careers advisers on hand to support young people’s mental health and avoid them being drawn into crime.
- Labour will finally deliver a full trans-inclusive ban on conversion practices while protecting the freedom for people to explore their sexual orientation and gender identity.
- [Labour] will reform the NHS to ensure we give mental health the same attention and focus as physical health.
- [Labour] will trial Neighbourhood Health Centres, by bringing together existing services such as family doctors, district nurses, care workers, physiotherapists, palliative care, and mental health specialists under one roof.
- Labour will bring waiting times down and intervene earlier. We will recruit an additional 8,500 new staff to treat children and adults through our first term. As part of our mission to reduce the lives lost to suicide, these new staff will be specially trained to support people at risk. Labour’s new Young Futures hubs will provide open access to mental health services for children and young people in every community.
- Labour will modernise legislation to give patients greater choice, autonomy, enhanced rights and support, and ensure everyone is treated with dignity and respect throughout treatment.
- Labour will ensure veterans have access to the mental health, employment, and housing support and in other areas they need.
The NCPS asked the Labour Party the following questions:
- Can Labour give more information about having a specialist mental health professional in every school? Our research into Mental Health Support Teams shows that a variety of roles, but significantly including counselling, is important in schools. We cannot operate on a one-size-fits-all basis.
- How does Labour plan on resourcing an additional 8,500 mental health staff: will they be drawing on the existing counselling & psychotherapy workforce?
- Does the expansion of referral routes apply to talking therapies, and does this include the ability for patients to refer themselves directly to a counsellor / psychotherapist of their choice?
- Will Neighbourhood Health Centres allow for or encourage the employment of a variety of types of mental health professional, including counsellors & psychotherapists?
- Does the plan for offering more mental health support for Veterans include counselling & psychotherapy?
- Liberal Democrats
Read the full Liberal Democrats manifesto here
The Liberal Democrats promise to:
- Ban all forms of conversion therapies and practices
- Have a dedicated mental health professional in every school
- Improve early access to mental health services by establishing mental health hubs for young people in every community and introducing regular mental health check-ups at key points in people’s lives when they are most vulnerable to mental ill-health.
They will improve early access to mental health services by:
- Opening walk-in hubs for children and young people in every community.
- Offering regular mental health check-ups at key points in people’s lives when they are most vulnerable to mental ill-health.
- Putting a dedicated, qualified mental health professional in every school.
- Ending out-of-area mental health placements by increasing capacity and coordination between services, so that no one is treated far from home.
- Extending young people’s mental health services up to the age of 25 to end the drop-off experienced by young people transitioning to adult services.
- Increasing access to clinically effective talking therapies.
- Taking an evidence-led approach to preventing and treating eating disorders, and challenging damaging stigma about weight.
- Making prescriptions for people with chronic mental health conditions free on the NHS, as part of our commitment to review the entire schedule of exemptions for prescription charges.
- Transforming perinatal mental health support for those who are pregnant, new mothers and those who have experienced miscarriage or stillbirth.
- Tackling stigma through continued support for public education including Time to Talk.
- Cutting suicide rates with a focus on community suicide prevention services and improving prevention training for frontline NHS staff.
- Recognising the relationship between mental health and debt, and providing better signposting between talking therapies and debt advice.
- Ending inappropriate and costly inpatient placements for people with learning disabilities and autism.
- Modernising the Mental Health Act to strengthen people’s rights, give them more choice and control over their treatment and prevent inappropriate detentions.
- Creating a statutory, independent Mental Health Commissioner to represent patients, their families and carers.
- Widening the current safety investigation into mental health hospitals to look at the whole patient experience, including ward design and treatment options.
They will:
- Put a dedicated, qualified mental health professional in every primary and secondary school, making sure all children and parents have someone they can turn to for help, funded by increasing the Digital Services Tax on social media firms and other tech giants.
They will also safeguard the future of our world-leading universities and the wellbeing of every student by:
- Introducing a statutory Student Mental Health Charter and requiring universities to make mental health services accessible to their students.
The NCPS asked the following questions of the Liberal Democrats:
- Can the Liberal Democrats give more information about having a dedicated mental health professional in every school? Our research into Mental Health Support Teams shows that a variety of roles, but significantly including counselling, is important in schools. We cannot operate on a one-size-fits-all basis.
- How would they plan on resourcing mental health check-ups? There is a workforce of counsellors and psychotherapists available to resource this.
- Would mental health hubs include counselling & psychotherapy provision?
- What is the definition of clinically effective talking therapies, and have they considered the decades of research that outlines what makes therapy clinically effective i.e. the relationship between the therapist and the client, client motivation, and the client’s own belief in the efficacy of the therapy? Have the party considered that in order to increase clinical efficacy they must first ensure that the factors for efficacy have been met i.e. the client is empowered to choose their own therapist and type of therapy?
- Plaid Cymru
Read the full Plaid Cymru manifesto here
Mental Health
They will press Welsh Government to make necessary amendments to the Code of Practice in Wales. Alongside the transfer of full powers over policing to Wales, they would also transfer powers over the Mental Health Act.
Ambition for Our Children
They will ensure schools are resourced to provide both the education and support learners require in order to leave education equipped for their futures. This includes investing in additional learning needs provision and investing in mental health support.
Welsh Language Resources
[They will] work to continually develop Welsh language services in healthcare, particularly in mental health, so that patients can receive care in their language of choice.
Neurodiversity in the Criminal Justice System
They will provide better support for people with ADHD transitioning throughout the prison system, and upon leaving. This includes training for all prison staff in ADHD awareness and appropriate medication care plans, and ensure access to safe housing, tailored with local mental health and probation support.
Plaid Cymru would end so-called conversion therapy practices related to sexuality and gender identity.
- Reform UK
Click here to read the manifesto in full
Motivate up to 2 million People Back to Work
Reforms to benefit support and training will help people back into work. Particular focus on 16-34 year olds. Employment is critical to improving mental health.
Promote Child Friendly App Restricted Smartphones
Social media is associated with eating disorders, anxiety, depression, suicide and the child mental health crisis.
Use Independent Healthcare Capacity
We will harness independent and not-for-profit health provision in the UK and overseas.All frontline NHS and social care staff to pay zero basic rate tax for 3 years.
Tax Relief of 20% on all Private Healthcare and Insurance.
- Scottish Conservatives
You can read the manifesto in full here
[Scottish Conservatives will] tighten up how the benefits system assesses capability for work. [They] will change the assessments from September 2025 so that those with more moderate mental health issues […] who could potentially engage with the world of work are given tailored support.
Improving mental health support
[Scottish Conservatives] would:
- Increase mental health spending to 10% of the frontline NHS budget.
- Deliver better community mental health services offering support to people with mild to moderate health problems.
- Develop dedicated national programmes for serious mental health issues, such as a strategy to reduce and prevent self-harm.
- Take forward a specific Rural Mental Health strategy, to combat social isolation.
- Use Scotland’s natural environment to facilitate mental health recovery
Attempts at so-called ‘conversion therapy’ are abhorrent. But legislation around conversion practices is a very complex issue, with existing criminal law already offering robust protections. […] In light of the Cass Review Final Report, it is right that we take more time before reaching a final judgement on additional legislation in this area.
- Scottish Greens
Read their manifesto in full here
[…] Calling for significantly enhanced borrowing powers for all the devolved nations, including the ability to borrow for revenue funding, which will allow us to invest in crucial areas like public sector pay and expanding the health care workforce.
A Minimum Income Guarantee, whereby the social security system will step in to ensure that everyone can meet a good standard of living.
Introduce a mental health impact assessment for all changes to social security and wider social policy, to understand the impacts government decision making has on mental and physical health and wellbeing.
[…] Allow for […] NHS and third sector organisations collaborating to provide individualised feedback and counselling to drug users who have submitted samples for testing.
Greens will ensure a written constitution provides fundamental legal protections for the right for all residents, regardless of nationality or migration to free healthcare, including […] mental health services
- Scottish Labour
Click here to read the manifesto in full
In Scotland and across the UK, long waits for treatment of health conditions, particularly mental health, are contributing to the rise in economic inactivity.
- Fund 160,000 new NHS Scotland appointments every year to cut waiting times
- A 10-year workforce plan
- Access to a mental health professional in every GP surgery
Modern GP surgeries provide a range of services, delivered by multidisciplinary teams including mental health workers, physiotherapists, pharmacists and nurses. Growing these teams to meet demand will be a key factor within our workforce plan, and Scottish Labour is committed to improving the joint working between primary care teams through records and data sharing, and successful triage.
Mental health
Recent years have seen an increase in those living with poor mental health. This is still not given parity with physical health. The proportion of health funding dedicated to mental health in Scotland lags behind other UK nations, and Scottish Labour has called for this to be increased to 11 per cent of frontline NHS spending.
For those who find themselves in crisis, it is crucial that services are available. Scottish Labour believes Scotland needs specialist mental health provision within emergency departments where those in need of immediate support can be treated.
Not everyone with poor mental health will need acute or specialist care, but Scottish Labour wants to improve the support available to people in their own communities. That is why we have committed to ensuring there is a mental health professional available in every GP surgery.
In recent years child and adolescent mental health services (CAMHS) have been overwhelmed with demand and far too many children and young people have been turned away or left on long waiting lists without treatment. Scottish Labour is committed to reforming the referral and triage process to ensure no one is turned away without support. We will learn from best practice already happening in parts of Scotland and ensure successful pilots are rolled out country wide.
Scottish Labour fought for counselling to be available in schools, but provision is still variable. A one size fits all approach does not work and each child or young person will have different needs, with some requiring specialist support. Scottish Labour believes every child and young person should be able to access specialist mental health services at school.
Respect and Opportunity for All
Labour will finally deliver a full trans-inclusive ban on conversion practices, while protecting the freedom for people to explore their sexual orientation and gender identity.
Public Health
Scotland’s drug deaths crisis is a public health emergency, bringing heartache to individuals and communities. […] Scottish Labour is committed to improving access to residential rehabilitation to all, regardless of where they live and fully implementing the Medication Assisted Treatment standards, including better integration between recovery services and mental health support.
Getting a grip of our prisons and reducing reoffending
Improvements are required to the provision of purposeful activity for prisoners, and there must be better access to mental health support […] in Scotland’s prisons.
Delivering for all
Every child and young person should be able to access specialist mental health services at school so they have access to early support to address problems before they escalate.
Defending the UK’s security
Scottish Labour will work to ensure veterans have access to the mental health […] support they need.
- Scottish National Party
Click here to read the manifesto in full
Boost NHS spending by a minimum of £10bn extra each year
Match Scotland’s NHS pay deals by increasing investment in NHS England staff pay and conditions of at least £6bn. This would deliver around £600m for Scotland that we could invest in pay deals for our hardworking NHS staff. Combined with our calls for additional investment to improve performance, this £16bn funding boost would generate £1.6bn annually for Scotland’s NHS.
Scrap proposed punitive welfare reforms.
We believe it is vital that the UK Government prioritise […] wellbeing for veterans and their families.
- Sinn Féin
Click here to read the manifesto in full
Sinn Féin is committed to standing up for workers, families, rural and urban communities, to ensure they have access to first-class public services.
An opportunity to create an efficient all-Ireland national health service
- Traditional Unionist Voice
You can read the manifesto in full here
TUV supports increased funding for Community Mental Health services to support people experiencing mental ill-health in their recovery and to further support early intervention strategies.
We also believe that there is a need for adequate acute psychiatric beds so that anyone who requires an acute hospital bed should be able to access it within their Trust area. No patient should be forced to travel outside their Trust area where they are less likely to benefit from the support of family and friends.
- Welsh Conservatives
You can read the manifesto in full here
[Welsh Conservatives will] reform our disability benefits so they are better targeted and reflect people’s genuine needs, while delivering a stepchange in mental health provision.
[A Welsh Conservative Government would] put into law our Welsh NHS Covenant guaranteeing:
- increased investment in the Welsh NHS, spending the full Barnett Consequential received for health on health
- the Welsh NHS’ independence from Welsh Government
- a NHS Reservist Programme helping professionals during periods of high demand
- NHS professionals receive pay as recommended by the NHS Pay Review Body
- the Welsh NHS remains in public hands and free at the point of use
- improved staff well-being and stamping out abuse
[A Welsh Conservative Government would] ensure parity between mental and physical health by introducing a new Mental Health Act replacing outdated legislation and ensuring the latest thinking is actioned.
Attempts at so-called ‘conversion therapy’ are abhorrent. But legislation around conversion practices is a very complex issue, with existing criminal law already offering robust protections. […] In light of the Cass Review Final Report, it is right that we take more time before reaching a final judgement on additional legislation in this area.
- Welsh Labour
Read their manifesto in full here
Welsh Labour will […] support the mental health and wellbeing of farmers and their families by continuing to work with the charities that provide such excellent support.
The Welsh Labour Government is implementing a Whole School Approach to mental health for both learners and staff
All local authorities in Wales are required by law to provide a school counselling service for pupils from age 6 and above, and the counselling available to school staff is being expanded. The CAMHS in-reach service for schools has been rolled out to all parts of Wales, providing vital links to wider NHS mental health services, and statutory guidance to embed the Whole School Approach across the culture and ethos of schools has been published.
Improving mental health
Mental health is the single largest area of spend in NHS Wales, and Welsh Labour has ringfenced the budget. We believe in parity between mental and physical health.
The Welsh Labour Government is consulting on its latest mental health and suicide prevention strategies – both are based on the idea people are supported and empowered to improve their mental health; to seek help when they need it and to live free from fear and stigma.
Mental health hubs have been set up in each health board and Welsh Labour is making sure there’s no wrong door if, and when, you need mental health support.
The Welsh Government has invested in easy-to-access services, which do not need referral and our ‘111 press 2’ service for urgent mental healthcare is unique to Wales, supporting thousands of people across Wales every month.
Mental health legislation is woefully out of date. Labour will modernise mental health legislation covering England and Wales to give people greater choice and autonomy, enhanced rights and support, and ensure everyone is treated with dignity and respect through treatment.
Defending the UK’s security
[…] The Welsh Labour Government’s Veterans NHS Wales service is already providing specialised, priority service for individuals who have served in the Armed Forces at any time in their lives and who are experiencing mental health difficulties related specifically to their military service.
Respect and opportunity for all
Labour will finally deliver a full trans-inclusive ban on conversion practices, while protecting the freedom for people to explore their sexual orientation and gender identity.
