Mental Health Foundation is the only UK charity solely focused on preventing poor mental health and building and protecting good mental health.
We're tackling the rapidly-growing mental health crisis by changing the UK’s approach from managing mental ill health to preventing it. And we’re fighting for those most at risk, especially young people.
Poor mental health is not inevitable, but we can’t just treat our way out of the problem.
Our research helps us better understand the causes of poor mental health. We’re campaigning for change that will break the cycles that cause the most harm. And we’re giving people the knowledge and tools they need to protect their own mental health.
Because everyone deserves good mental health.
Our areas of focus
The causes of poor mental health are complex and varied. We are focusing our work on a small number of connected issues where much more can be done to prevent poor mental health and where we can have the biggest impact. These include:
- Online worlds – so that people are protected from harm and are more mentally healthy in their online activity.
- Bullying and discrimination – so that children and young people are protected from the life-long harms these can cause.
- Working lives – so that young people can thrive in mentally-healthy workplaces that support their wellbeing.
How we work
We’re challenging the way things are done and creating fundamental change in the UK’s approach to mental health through:
- Research. We generate and share robust evidence on what drives poor mental health and what works best to prevent it.
- Participation. We learn from insights from people with lived experience of mental health challenges.
- Influence. We develop evidence‑based, preventative recommendations that influence policy and legislative changes across the UK.
- Campaigning. We run national campaigns to raise awareness, reduce stigma, shape public attitudes and build momentum for action on prevention.
- Information and resources. We produce trusted information and resources to help people look after their mental health.
We work across the four nations of the UK with staff teams in Belfast, Cardiff, Glasgow and London.
We are the home of Mental Health Awareness Week.
