Mental health support in local communities: what role can integrated advice play?

Mental health support in local communities, full report [ 0.77 mb]

Approximately 1 in 4 people in the UK experience a mental health problem each year, making poor mental health one of the most common illnesses in the UK and worldwide. At Citizens Advice, we see first hand how local communities can be affected by poor mental health.

We also see how poor mental health can have an impact on local services and local economies. While recent research found that UK workers with mental health issues contributed £226 billion to the national GDP in 2015, mental health problems also result in economic costs estimated to be between £70 and £100 billion. This is a combination of health and social care budgets and funding for other services that support people with a mental health condition.

This briefing explores how integrating advice into the mental health care package and local services can result in better use of council resources and better support for people with mental health problems. At a time of significant pressure on local government budgets and rising demand on local services, integrated advice can:

• Reduce pressure on local services by stopping people’s practical problems from escalating and building resilience

• Support people into work by removing practical barriers to employment and helping people resolve workplace problems.