Mental health and learning disability sector

Referrals (October 2025)

• There were 503,630 new referrals to mental health services, the highest figure on record.
• There were 2.35 million open referrals to mental health services, the second highest figure on record and 47% above pre-pandemic levels.
• In the 12 months to October 2025, 852,740 CYP accessed mental health services, the highest figure on record and a 7% increase compared to the year ending October 2024. 

FIGURE 6

New referrals in to mental health, learning disabilities and autism services

Contacts (October 2025) 

• The highest number of people on record were in contact with mental health services in October (2.17 million).
• There were 2.48 million care contacts attended in October – the highest figure for any October on record. This figure is up 3.1% on last year and 27% higher than six years ago, before the pandemic. 

Community mental health (August to October 2025)

• 178,630 CYP accessed support through NHS funded mental health services – up by 3.1% on last year and the highest figure recorded for any October.
• The number of children and young people still waiting for a first contact from community mental health services was 377,970 in the three months to October. The median wait times for those still waiting was 319 days, 77 days longer than the same period last year.
• For adults with serious mental illness, 127,790 received their second contact with services in the three-month period to October – the highest figure for any October on record.
• 189,470 adults with serious mental illness were still waiting for treatment from community mental health services in the three months to October. The median wait time for a second contact since referral for adults was 65 days, 30 days faster than last year. 

Out of area placements (OAPs) (October 2025)

• At the end of October 2025, there were 407 OAPs in adult acute beds, the highest October figure to date.