The Association’s Statement Ahead of the Autumn Budget
The Association of Mental Health Providers (the Association), led by Dania Hanif, has issued a powerful statement ahead of the Autumn Budget 2025, calling for urgent, sustainable investment in the Voluntary, Community, Faith, and Social Enterprise (VCFSE) mental health social care sector. The Association’s position is grounded in sector-wide policy recommendations and a direct appeal to the government to recognise the critical role of mental health charities in supporting over 8 million people across our country. The statement highlights that without immediate action, the sector faces further destabilisation, service cuts, and worsening outcomes for those most in need of mental health social care.
The Association’s policy position
The Association is the only national representative body for more than 300 mental health social care provider charities, and its advocacy is rooted in a deep understanding of the sector’s operational and financial challenges. Its position has consistently highlighted the need for long-term, inflation-linked Treasury investment, place-based commissioning, and the recognition of VCFSE providers as equal partners with local government and the NHS. In previous statements, Dania Hanif has demonstrated how the VCFSE sector is uniquely placed to deliver person-centred, community-based care, but the sector is currently under immense strain due to rising demand and insufficient resources. Our policy asks, ahead of the 26th of November budget, align with broader sector recommendations, including those from our members and the NHS Confederation. These all call for a shift from hospital-based to community-based mental health care, greater investment in prevention, and workforce parity between the NHS and VCFSE sectors.
This statement focuses on the importance of embedding VCFSE organisations in national and local commissioning frameworks, ensuring that their expertise is leveraged in service design and delivery. Dania has also called for the implementation of the socio-economic duty, which would require public bodies to consider the impact of their decisions on the VCFSE sector, and for targeted investment to address mental health inequalities, particularly for minoritised communities.
Key Policy Recommendations
The Association’s four key budget asks are supported by a robust body of evidence and sector-wide consensus:
- Sustainable Investment for the VCFSE Sector
The Association advocates for long-term central government investment that keeps pace with inflation, avoids disproportionate cuts, and treats VCFSE providers as equal partners to both local authorities and the NHS. This includes longer fairer contracts with annual reviews, support for small charities, and measures to reduce reliance on charitable reserves to cross-subsidise publicly funded mental health social care. The Government should also strengthen local economies by enforcing the socio-economic duty and ensuring public bodies consider the impact of their decisions on VCFSE organisations. Without appropriate investment, services risk further workforce cutbacks and closures, threatening the stability of vital community-centred mental health provision.
- Integrated Mental Health Workforce
The Association emphasises the need for the VCFSE mental health sector to be fully recognised and included in the national workforce plan for social care. This means incorporating the VCFSE workforce insight into service design, ensuring parity and fair pay, and creating development pathways that allow movement between NHS and social care settings. Investment is also needed in workforce wellbeing support and continuous professional development training. Strengthening and sustaining the VCFSE mental health workforce is essential for delivering high-quality, person-centred, and preventative mental health support across communities.
- Addressing Inequalities in the Mental Health System
The Association calls for the government to recognise and invest in the VCFSE sector to tackle mental health inequalities. Targeted investment and partnership with VCFSE organisations are essential to improve access, experience, and outcomes for minoritised communities, who too often face discrimination, cultural barriers, misdiagnosis, and delayed support. We recommend implementing the Patient and Carer Race Equality Framework (PCREF) across all mental health services, including VCFSE providers, and reforming Integrated Care Systems (ICSs) to consistently prioritise and address inequalities through effective commissioning and collaboration.
- Addressing the Root Causes of Poor Mental Health
The Association stresses that improving mental health requires urgent action on the wider social and economic factors that affect people’s wellbeing, including poverty, discrimination, insecure housing, poor working conditions, financial stress, and limited access to timely support. On behalf of our members we call for long-term investment in prevention and early intervention, delivered in genuine partnership with the VCFSE sector, which is uniquely placed to reach communities. The government must take meaningful action to tackle socioeconomic inequalities, reform the welfare and benefits system, expand access to welfare rights and debt advice, and ensure people can receive support before they reach mental health crisis. Barriers and waiting-time limits must be reduced for all adults and children. Finally, stigma must be confronted through co-produced approaches, recognising the VCFSE sector’s valuable contribution in shaping services and raising awareness.
Dania Hanif said:
“With demand for mental health social care continuing to rise, charities across the country are under increasing pressure. This Autumn Budget is a crucial opportunity for the Chancellor to provide sustainable investment and recognise the vital contribution of the VCFSE mental health sector, which supports more than 8 million people across the UK.”
Notes to the editor
Dania Hanif’s leadership has been instrumental in mobilising sector-wide advocacy, ensuring that the voices of mental health charities are heard at the highest levels of government. Her call for the Chancellor to take four key actions to secure the future of mental health provision in communities reflects the Association’s commitment to building a resilient, integrated, and equitable mental health system.
The Association’s policy references and advocacy are supported by a broad coalition of sector leaders, including their members Mind, Mental Health Matters, the NHS, and local government bodies. Together, they are urging the government to act decisively to safeguard the future of mental health provision in the UK, ensuring that the VCFSE sector can continue to deliver compassionate, community-based care for those who need it most.