Nick Treloar

Senior Researcher

Dear friend,

As the King's Speech was unveiled last week, we saw a renewed focus on mental health with a much-needed commitment to modernising the Mental Health Act and a plan to introduce a child poverty strategy. These measures are urgently needed, with our new report launched today highlighting the devastating and lasting impacts of poverty and benefit conditionality on children’s mental health. The report presents a roadmap of priorities for the new government over the next Parliament to alleviate child poverty and ensure families can thrive.

Alongside this, we launched a new report exploring how local mental health alliances can be built from the ground up, alongside experts by lived experience and voluntary organisations, to better meet the local mental health needs of people in their areas.

We still have a long way to go to make equality in mental health a reality. Thank you for continuing to support us on that journey.

A dual crisis

Living in poverty has a devastating impact on children’s mental health. With the Children and Young People’s Mental Health Coalition and Save the Children UK, we explored the impact of poverty and benefit conditionality on families’ mental health.

This report highlights the need for government action to eradicate child poverty and combat the dual crises of poverty and poor mental health.

More than the sum of our parts

Community sector organisations play a vital role in supporting people with mental health difficulties. But insecure funding and a lack of meaningful collaboration can inhibit these organisations from providing the mental health support that people depend on.

With Rethink Mental Illness, we’ve explored how bringing local stakeholders together - from voluntary sector organisations to NHS commissioners - can transform mental health support for people living with a mental illness.

The ‘machinery of government’ for a mentally healthier nation

by Andy Bell

A new government, and a new start for our mental health?

by Andy Bell