About Mental Health Awareness Week

Mental Health Awareness Week happens every year, and it's the biggest opportunity for the whole of the UK to come together to focus on getting good mental health. The week aims to tackle stigma and help people understand and prioritise their and others' mental health.

We started Mental Health Awareness Week in 2001, and as a vital part of our work as a charity, we continue to set the agenda - theme and dates, as well as coordinate activities for the week. In recent years, it has evolved to focus on preventing mental health problems and has become one of the most high-profile public campaigns in the UK.

Each May, millions of people from every part of society take part across the whole of the UK. They include people in schools and further education; private, public and charity sectors; families and individuals. The UK and national governments, celebrities and many others continue to actively support the week.

Mental Health Awareness Week logo

What can Mental Health Awareness Week achieve?

Mental Health Awareness Week is vital in increasing public understanding of mental health and how mental health problems can be prevented.

After years of being ignored, hidden away, and not being spoken about, Mental Health Awareness Week makes sure that mental health remains at the centre of the public conversation. It has contributed to government policy changes and provides a significant red-letter day when mental health charities throughout the UK can fundraise to support their work.

Above all, it keeps up the pressure for change so that we collectively prioritise the UK’s mental health, prevent mental health problems and take action to make sure we live in a society that values and promotes good mental health for all.

Mental Health Awareness Week 2025

Mental Health Awareness Week in 2025 celebrated the power and importance of community. Being part of a safe, positive community is vital for our mental health and wellbeing. We thrive when we have strong connections with other people and supportive communities that remind us, we are not alone. Communities can provide a sense of belonging, safety, support in hard times, and give us a sense purpose.

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The image features members of young people gathered together gardening outside of Forest Gate station in London. They are members of Ashok's Vision International who won the Positive Mental Health Image Library competition.

Previous Mental Health Awareness Week themes

2024 - movement

Our bodies and our minds are connected, so looking after ourselves physically also helps us prevent problems with our mental health.
A woman running in front of a brick wall

2023 - anxiety

Anxiety is a normal emotion in us all, but sometimes it can get out of control and become a mental health problem.
MHAW posters - "anxiety is a common feeling"

2022 - loneliness

Loneliness affects more and more of us in the UK and has had a huge effect on our physical and mental health. The COVID-19 pandemic only served to make things worse.
Graphic of a person holding a protest sign that reads 'Let's tackle loneliness'

2021 - nature

Being in nature is good for your mental health. It reduces stress and lifts your mood. In 2021, we looked at the link between nature and mental health - why it matters, how we can all get more of nature and how people are experiencing the benefits.
Colourful graphic with the text 'nature'

2020 - kindness

In 2020, we found that 63% of UK adults agree that when other people are kind it has a positive impact on their mental health, and the same proportion agree that being kind to others has a positive impact on their mental health.
MHAW 2020 Kindness - portrait

2019 - body image

Our research found that 30% of all adults have felt so stressed by body image and appearance that they felt overwhelmed or unable to cope. That’s almost 1 in every 3 people.
Colourful graphic with the text 'body image'

Mental Health Awareness Week 2026

Find out how your company can get involved in Mental Health Awareness Week 11-17 May 2026.

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Mental Health Awareness Week logo on a coral background