{"value":{"id":1866331,"askingMemberId":4668,"askingMember":null,"house":"Lords","memberHasInterest":false,"dateTabled":"2025-12-18T00:00:00","dateForAnswer":"2026-01-06T00:00:00","uin":"HL13184","questionText":"To ask His Majesty's Government by how much demand for mental health, ADHD and autism services is increasing or decreasing in each of the past five years for people aged (1) under 16, (2) 16-24, (3) 25-34, (4) 35-49, (5) 50-64, and (6) over 65.","answeringBodyId":17,"answeringBodyName":"Department of Health and Social Care","isWithdrawn":false,"isNamedDay":false,"groupedQuestions":[],"answerIsHolding":false,"answerIsCorrection":false,"answeringMemberId":347,"answeringMember":null,"correctingMemberId":null,"correctingMember":null,"dateAnswered":"2026-01-30T00:00:00","answerText":"

The following table shows the number of people in contact with National Health Service funded secondary mental health, learning disabilities and autism services, in each financial year between 2020/21 and 2024/25:

Age group

2020/21

2021/22

2022/23

2023/24

2024/25

Under 16 years old

593,297

776,750

869,206

915,617

986,814

16-24 years old

499,690

595,233

642,990

640,187

678,667

25-34 years old

385,511

438,756

500,668

542,170

606,461

35-49 years old

424,031

466,396

525,588

581,642

661,362

50-64 years old

331,311

357,524

388,097

418,523

449,505

65 years old and over

563,811

609,373

647,310

675,575

685,797

UNKNOWN

5,593

12,663

9,005

17,112

60,684

Source: Mental Health Services Data Set (MHSDS)

Notes:

  1. In contact means either being seen by NHS Talking Therapies services or having an open referral to NHS Talking Therapies services.
  2. The MHSDS covers all NHS funded activity related to patients of any age who receive secondary care for a suspected or diagnosed mental health, learning disability, autism, or other neurodevelopmental condition.
  3. In contact means either being seen by mental health services or having an open referral to mental health services, which includes referrals still waiting for a first contact at the end of the year.
  4. Date of birth is not a mandatory data item in the MHSDS, therefore, there will be some unknown values.

The following table shows the number of people known to be in contact with NHS Talking Therapies in each financial year between 2020/21 and 2024/25:

Age group

2020/21

2021/22

2022/23

2023/24

2024/25

Under 16 years old

1,222

1,189

925

886

749

16-24 years old

360,673

424,826

398,859

370,377

350,213

25-34 years old

487,273

571,094

563,973

555,142

543,044

35-49 years old

437,838

514,275

537,364

564,755

583,614

50-64 years old

265,491

311,633

332,821

358,120

366,773

65 years old and over

89,446

108,885

123,740

136,297

140,262

Source: Improving Accessing to Psychological Therapies dataset Notes:

  1. In contact means either being seen by NHS Talking Therapies services or having an open referral to NHS Talking Therapies services, which includes referrals still waiting for a first contact at the end of the year.
  2. Date of birth is a mandatory data item in the Improving Accessing to Psychological Therapies dataset so there are no unknowns.

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