From awareness to action: how we can build a mentally healthier society

Mental health in the UK is moving in the wrong direction. More people are experiencing distress, more children and young people are struggling, and more families are being pushed to the edge while they wait for support. Services are overwhelmed, yet demand continues to rise. The financial cost runs to tens of billions each year, but numbers only tell part of the story. Behind the numbers are lives constrained by anxiety, depression and trauma, and opportunities lost far too early.

The need for action is clear. But what should that look like?

At the Mental Health Foundation, we believe that lasting change depends on acting earlier. Treatment and crisis services are vital and always will be, but they cannot carry the full weight of the mental health crisis. If we want fewer people to reach crisis point, we have to address the conditions that harm mental health in the first place and strengthen those that protect it.

That starts with the realities of everyday life. Poverty, insecure work, unaffordable housing, discrimination, and loneliness have a powerful impact on mental health. They create constant pressure and uncertainty, which accumulate over time. For many people, distress is a rational response to circumstances over which they have little control. Improving mental health therefore requires political choices that reduce inequality and improve living conditions. Those are long terms aims, but the time to start is now.  

And beyond efforts to tackle these social drivers of poor mental health, recognition of their existence should be used to plan preventative interventions. We need action for everyone’s mental health, but in a world of limited resources we need to remember that some groups, through not fault of their own, have a higher risk of developing mental health problems and deserve increased support.  

Prevention also depends on giving people the skills, confidence and support to look after their mental health and to support others. Evidence already shows what works. Support for parents during pregnancy and the early years improves outcomes for both children and adults. In workplaces, trained managers and healthier cultures reduce burnout and sickness absence. Antibullying programmes in schools can be extraordinarily effective, preventing the trauma of bullying and letting children develop into confident and mentally healthy adults.

We know what many of the most effective approaches are, but the challenge lies in scaling them up. Too often, prevention is treated as optional, fragmented or short‑term. Local systems need stable funding and clear responsibility for improving population mental health, not just reacting when people become unwell. National leadership is equally important. Without it, prevention slips between departments and budgets, despite the long‑term savings and human benefits it delivers. 

Digital tools also have a place in this picture. When properly tested, regulated and quickly rolled out, they can widen access to support and reach people who might otherwise go unheard. At the same time, caution is essential. Tools that are poorly designed or unregulated risk undermining trust and causing harm, particularly for people in distress.

The digital world more broadly has become a major mental health issue in its own right. Harmful content linked to suicide, eating disorders, misogyny and racism is still widespread. Children and young people are exposed to platforms that prioritise engagement over wellbeing. Misinformation flourishes, often with serious consequences.

The Online Safety Act offers an opportunity to change this, but only if it is implemented robustly and enforced without hesitation. Where gaps remain, they should be addressed. This includes bringing AI chatbots clearly within scope and developing credible, independent age‑appropriateness ratings for social media platforms. A safer online environment would reduce harm and allow the positive potential of digital connection to be realised more fully. 

None of this can be achieved in isolation. Mental health is shaped by decisions across government, from housing and education to employment, transport and digital regulation. A cross‑government plan for population mental health is essential if prevention is to succeed. Devolved governments have an important role here, too with the ability to tailor approaches to local needs, invest in prevention and share what works across the UK.

Prevention rarely attracts the attention that crisis response does, but it is where the greatest gains lie. Acting earlier reduces suffering, eases pressure on stretched services and creates stronger, healthier communities. The evidence is clear, and the solutions are within reach. 

We’re all increasingly well educated about mental health. Many of us have had to learn to how to acknowledge that we’re not always doing well. We’ve learnt that mental health stigma is never ok. There’s even a broader understanding of the social drivers of poor mental health, as people see the impact of austerity policies or poorly-regulated social media.

Many brave people have done such inspiring work in bringing mental health into the light. And there’s no such thing as too much awareness. But right now, this Mental Health Awareness Week, what we need is action.

For governments across the UK to step up, and begin the hard – but achievable – work of building a mentally healthy society.