Mental health charity Norfolk Clubhouse has revealed sharp funding inequalities across England, with counties such as Cornwall, Somerset, and Gloucestershire receiving some of the lowest levels of mental health investment despite soaring demand for support.
The charity’s analysis of 40 NHS Integrated Care Board (ICB) regions found that Gloucestershire, Somerset, and Cornwall and the Isles of Scilly ranked at the bottom for annual mental health spending in 2023/24. Gloucestershire received £106.5 million, Somerset £107.5 million, and Cornwall and the Isles of Scilly £109.5 million. Northamptonshire and Shropshire, Telford and Wrekin ranked just above them with £128.9 million and £113.9 million respectively.
Regions spending the most include North East and North Cumbria (£688.9 million), Greater Manchester (£677 million), and Cheshire and Merseyside (£544.8 million). The average regional spend across the UK was £284.6 million.
Rising demand for support
The findings come at a time of record pressure on services. Norfolk Clubhouse reports that 156,037 people were referred to NHS Talking Therapies in July 2025, while an estimated 2 million people remain on waiting lists for mental health treatment in the UK.
Online search data also reflects growing public concern. Google Trends shows around 476,000 searches in September 2025 for “cognitive behavioural therapy” and a steady monthly average of 43,000 searches for “mental health services” over the past year.
“A funding gap of this size is having a direct and damaging impact on everyone,” said June Webb, founder of Norfolk Clubhouse and a psychotherapist. “People are experiencing preventable harm simply because of delayed care. Underfunding means fewer staff, longer waiting times, and less availability of key mental health support when and where it is most needed. This also has the knock-on effect of putting even more pressure on A&E services.”
Rural areas left behind
Webb said that national care strategies tend to prioritise major cities, leaving rural communities underserved. “A plan is required to increase support for rural areas, which are often trailing behind,” she said. “Gloucestershire alone receives the least funding and currently has an estimated £175 million funding gap, and places such as Cornwall and Somerset are in a similar position. Fair, needs-based allocation of funding should be an immediate government priority.”
Norfolk Clubhouse’s findings highlight how unequal funding levels have real-world consequences for access and treatment times. The charity adds that the rising demand for care is partly linked to the social determinants of health, including housing, employment, and debt pressures that increase the risk of mental distress.
Uneven progress despite national spending growth
Official NHS data shows overall mental health spending in England rose from £11.31 billion in 2023/24 to £12.13 billion in 2024/25, an increase of 7.7%. Mental health now accounts for 14.6% of total ICB allocations, up from 14.5% the previous year. However, the charity argues that these national increases are not being distributed evenly, leaving smaller or rural regions at a disadvantage.
Economic cost of inaction
According to Mind’s Big Mental Health Report 2024, poor mental health costs the English economy around £300 billion a year. Norfolk Clubhouse says that without a fairer regional funding model, the NHS risks worsening inequalities and extending waiting times even further.
Webb urged policymakers to rethink how resources are allocated. “Improved support for housing, employment, and debt could help to ease pressures and reduce demand,” she said. “Funding should be directed where need is greatest to prevent people from falling through the cracks.”
The charity has published a full breakdown of mental health spending and access data on the Norfolk Clubhouse website, calling on government leaders to act before rural areas fall further behind.
