Mental health research in the UK is chronically underfunded. Mental health research is funded significantly less than research into physical conditions such as cancer, cardiovascular disease and infectious diseases.
- On average, the UK invests approximately £115 million per year in mental health research.1
- Even though UK institutions are carrying out cutting-edge mental health research, they receive only 5.5% of the UK health research budget. In contrast, investment in cancer research is four times higher, at 19.6%.2
- In 2011, the amount spent on cancer research was £521 million, resulting in approximately £1,571 per cancer patient, while the average spent on mental health was £115, equating approximately to £9.75 per adult with a mental health problem.3
Our 2016 study 'The Fundamental Facts about Mental Health' follows a comprehensive summary of mental health research, providing a unique handbook of key facts and figures, covering all key areas of mental health.
