The Foundation Reports: tackling mental health inequalities in the UK

Many of the things we need to stay mentally healthy, like a safe and warm home, access to timely mental health support and a decent income, are becoming increasingly hard to access. 

And certain groups of people, such as those in poverty or living in unstable housing conditions, are experiencing poor mental health at a much higher rate than others.  

When people face persistent disadvantage and are exposed to more harmful circumstances, the risk of experiencing mental health problems increases. This unequal and preventable distribution of risk is referred to as mental health inequalities – a reflection of broader injustices that demand action.

As part of our mission to prevent poor mental health, we set out to identify the most urgent and actionable priorities for reducing mental health inequalities in the UK.

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Financial insecurity refers to a household’s inability to respond to unexpected essential expenses or cost-of-living increases due to limited income or savings. In some cases, this forces people to make difficult choices between paying bills, eating or heating their homes. ¹

There is growing evidence that financial insecurity - the absence of an adequate financial safety net -  is detrimental for mental health.²

Access to safe, secure and suitable housing is a fundamental determinant of good mental health. ³Evidence consistently shows that poor-quality or unstable housing can negatively affect mental health, contributing to increased levels of stress, depression and anxiety.⁴ These challenges are intensifying amid the UK’s housing crisis. 

While access to secure and affordable housing is fundamental, housing and household conditions – including emotional and psychological safety at home - also play a critical role in shaping mental health outcomes, particularly for those facing socio-economic disadvantage, housing insecurity or domestic abuse. Addressing these challenges requires policies that go beyond affordability to ensure safety, stability and quality in the places we call home.

Identity-based mistreatment includes various forms of unjust, harmful and discriminatory treatment that are motivated by characteristics such as race, gender, sexual orientation, disability and religion. Importantly, these are not isolated acts of hatred and prejudice. Rather, they reflect systemic injustices which extend throughout society. 

Around one-fifth of people from racialised communities have experienced discrimination while seeking housing, and over a third have experienced discrimination in education and employment.⁵  This not only limits access to safe and stable living conditions but also reinforces cycles of economic disadvantage.

Secure, stable and supportive employment can protect and promote positive mental health, providing financial security, social connection and a sense of purpose. 

While good work supports mental health and wellbeing, research shows that poor-quality work, including jobs that are insecure, low-paid or stressful, can be more harmful for mental health than unemployment.⁶

Certain groups are disproportionately affected, including young people, individuals with limited qualifications or skills, people with disabilities or mental health conditions, carers, lone parents, older workers and those from some ethnic minority backgrounds.⁷

Loneliness and social isolation can happen at the same time, but they are different concepts – isolation refers to how many connections a person has, and loneliness refers to how we feel about those connections.

People who often feel lonely are over five times more likely to experience poor mental health⁸. And there is strong evidence linking social isolation with lower levels of psychological wellbeing. ⁹ 

While social isolation can affect anyone, broader social, economic and structural factors increase the likelihood of a person becoming isolated. Research shows that marginalised groups, including people with disabilities, LGBTQ+ people, migrants, refugees and people from ethnic minorities, often experience higher rates of social disconnection.¹⁰ 

Access to good-quality, culturally competent healthcare is essential for supporting good mental health and preventing poor mental health. 

But we don’t all have equal access to timely, good quality healthcare. People experiencing social and economic disadvantage often face additional barriers to accessing support. Certain racialised communities also have systematically different experiences within the services that they use, including the quality of care and treatment they receive.¹¹

To reduce mental health inequalities, it is essential to invest in inclusive, adequately resourced and culturally competent health support that meets the needs of those most affected.