What can we expect for mental health in the next parliament? An analysis of the 2024 General Election manifestos

To move to a more preventative approach to mental health as a country, we need a comprehensive cross-government plan, alongside the funding to make it happen. We also require investment in specific areas that the evidence shows will reduce mental health problems, including:  

• preventative work in the perinatal period  
• support for children’s mental health  
• helping people into good jobs  
• tackling racism and discrimination  
• increased access to nature  
• protecting people from harmful junk food, smoking, alcohol use, online harms and gambling  

We have set out below a range of the commitments that the main parties have made in each of these areas. We have also included links to each of the manifestos at the end of this blog, where you can find further details of all the policies mentioned.   

Developing a comprehensive, cross-government plan to prevent mental health problems, alongside the funding to make it happen.   

Alongside other mental health charities, we have been advocating for the need for a comprehensive long-term plan for mental health. Responsibility for the social determinants of mental health is spread across different government departments and requires a truly long-term cross-government approach. Such a plan would allow a government to connect the work of different departments to tackle the risk factors of mental ill-health.  

Disappointingly, none of the parties seeking to lead the next administration in Westminster commit to this in their manifestos. This is a real missed opportunity. Throughout the next parliamentary term, we will be continuing to press whoever forms the next administration of the urgent need for this approach.⁴  

Investing in perinatal mental health  

Existing evidence demonstrates that many new parents experience mental ill health.⁵ This is also recognised in the Women’s Health Strategy announced in the previous parliament.  

In these new manifestos, the Conservatives have pledged improved “access to mental health services for new mums.”  The Liberal Democrats are advocating a “transformation of mental health support for those who are pregnant.” The SNP are arguing for increased paid maternity leave to one year.  

We need proactive policy approaches to tackle the problems in perinatal mental health. The above policies begin that journey, but more detail will be needed upon the next government being formed.  

Protecting children’s mental health  

Preventative mental health measures in schools have been demonstrated to be one of the most effective methods to prevent future mental ill-health. They also represent very good value for money.⁶  

We have been vocal about the necessity for many of the measures announced in the manifestos. These include the expansion of mental health support teams to 100% of schools and colleges in England by 2030 as announced by the Conservatives or the specialist mental health counsellors suggested by the Labour Party. Specialist staff and counsellors in schools have also been advocated by the Liberal Democrats, the Green Party, and Plaid Cymru.  

However, these policies are only a starting point. We also need whole school approaches to mental health and wellbeing which would incorporate anti-bullying programmes and targeted programmatic work, alongside an implementation of a trauma informed approach.  

Helping people into good jobs 

For most of us work is where we spend most of our time. It is essential that our workplaces and working conditions support us to have good mental health. 

The Liberal Democrats have committed to giving all employees “a right to request a fixed-hours contract after 12 months for ‘zero hours’ and agency workers, not to be unreasonably refused.” Labour and the SNP have also pledged to ban exploitative zero-hours contracts, This is an area we have written about in our report on zero-hours contracts and mental health.  

Meanwhile, Reform UK pledge tax relief for businesses that undertake apprenticeships. Apprenticeships can be a positive tool to help people into good work. 

We support the Joseph Rowntree Foundation and Trussell Trust Guarantee our Essentials Campaign. This campaign calls on the UK government to enshrine in law the principle that the basic rate of Universal Credit at least covers the essentials that people need to live.  Plaid Cymru and the SNP also express their support for this in their manifestos, alongside demanding the scrapping the two child cap on benefits. The Liberal Democrats and the Green Party also say that they will scrap the two child cap. The evidence indicates that the cap has a negative impact on mental health. 

We have also been calling for a compassionate, trauma-informed approach to our social security system. Any reforms to the welfare system must take this into account and support, rather than damage people’s mental health. We will be keeping a close eye on how the next administration operates in this policy area. 

Protect people from harmful junk food, smoking, alcohol misuse, online harms and gambling 

Our mental health is affected by a whole range of social, environmental, physical, and economic factors. We need bold new policy and community approaches that enable us to thrive and that reduce our risk of poor mental health. Mental ill-health can also be caused by commercial organisations seeking to maximise the consumption of their products. This includes things like junk food, smoking, and alcohol. 

We have previously outlined our support for the Tobacco and Vapes Bill, and are pleased to see the Conservative Party and Labour Party commit to a version of this, and the Liberal Democrats to actions on vaping. We know that we need a wider preventative approach to public mental health, and are pleased to see language included on this in both the Liberal Democrats and Labour Party manifestos.  

One of our calls for the election has also been the restoration of the public health grant which has seen a £1bn real-terms cut since 2015, when population growth is taken into account. This has been included in the Green Party manifesto.  

The public health grant should be used by local authorities to fund preventative interventions including public mental health interventions, and is imperative to a successful public health approach to mental health. 

Conclusion

We arrive at this election with mental health going in the wrong direction. This needs to change. All of the political parties propose policies to address this and tackle the social determinants of mental ill-health; this is to be applauded. Yet much more is needed.  

We need a long-term cross-government plan for mental health, and a greater commitment to supporting the mental health of refugees and asylum seekers. We will be continuing to advocate for these policies throughout the next parliamentary term, whoever should form the next administration with the aim of helping to deliver better mental health for all. 

Our roles as a charity

MHF is a non-partisan charity that does not endorse any political party. We work with politicians of all parties to further our goal of better mental health for everyone.

Read the manifestos

You can find a link to all of the manifestos mentioned in the document here:

• Conservative Party
• Green Party
• Labour Party
• Liberal Democrats
• Plaid Cymru
• Reform UK
• SNP