Mental health waiting times in England
Mental health waiting times refer to how long people typically wait for NHS mental health services after being referred for support. Waiting times vary widely across England and depend on the type of service required, local NHS provision, and available capacity.
This page provides independent, factual information about NHS mental health waiting times in England. It explains how referral pathways work, typical waiting time ranges, and why waiting times differ depending on where people live.
What are NHS mental health services?
NHS mental health services provide assessment, treatment and support for a wide range of mental health conditions. Services are delivered by specialist teams and may include talking therapies, community mental health services, crisis services, and support for children and young people.
Access to NHS mental health services usually begins through a GP referral, self-referral to certain services, or referral from another healthcare professional.
This website does not provide medical advice or clinical guidance. If you have concerns about your mental health, you should contact a qualified healthcare professional.
How NHS mental health referral pathways work
Mental health services in England are commissioned and delivered locally. This means referral routes, service availability and access criteria can vary between areas.
In general, NHS mental health pathways may include:
- Referral to talking therapies services
- Assessment by community mental health teams
- Access to specialist or secondary care services where appropriate
There are separate pathways for:
- Adults
- Children and young people (CAMHS)
Because services are commissioned locally by Integrated Care Boards (ICBs), waiting times and access arrangements differ across England.
Typical NHS mental health waiting times
Published NHS data indicates that waiting times for mental health services vary depending on the type of support required and local service demand.
In many areas:
- Talking therapies waiting times range from weeks to several months
- Community mental health services may involve longer waits, depending on complexity and capacity
- Children and young people's mental health services (CAMHS) often experience extended waiting lists in some regions
Waiting times are influenced by referral volumes, workforce availability and service pressures. Actual waiting times for individuals may vary depending on clinical priority and local circumstances.
Why mental health waiting times vary by area
Mental health waiting times differ across England due to factors such as:
- Local commissioning arrangements
- Demand for services
- Availability of trained mental health professionals
- Differences in service models between areas
As mental health services are organised locally, waiting times can vary significantly between towns, regions and NHS trusts.
Mental health waiting times by town and area
Mental health services are commissioned and delivered locally, which means access and waiting times vary between areas. However, mental health waiting time data is typically published at national or programme level rather than by individual town or trust.
There is no single, consistently published NHS dataset that provides town-level mental health waiting times across England. Information about local waits may be available through individual NHS trust reports or Freedom of Information requests.
Browse local NHS context by county and town
The town pages linked below do not display mental health waiting times. Instead, they provide local NHS context including which trust serves each area, published diagnostic waiting time data for other services, and general guidance on accessing NHS care.
Berkshire
Derbyshire
East Sussex
Greater London
Greater Manchester
Leicestershire
North Yorkshire
Nottinghamshire
Somerset
Tyne and Wear
Warwickshire
West Midlands
About mental health waiting time data availability
Mental health waiting time data is typically published at national or programme level (such as talking therapies statistics) rather than by individual town or trust. As a result, the local town pages on this website do not display mental health waiting lists or estimated wait durations.
Access to mental health services and waiting times depend on local commissioning arrangements and the type of service required. If you need information about mental health waiting times in your area, you may wish to contact your local NHS trust or Integrated Care Board directly, speak to your GP, or submit a Freedom of Information (FOI) request.
Where the data comes from
Information on NHS mental health waiting times is sourced from publicly available NHS England publications, reports from NHS trusts and Integrated Care Boards, and other official NHS data releases.
The data reflects the most recently published information available at the time of update and is typically reported as averages or ranges rather than individual waiting times.
All data is published under the Open Government Licence v3.0.
Important information for users
This website is an independent information resource and is not affiliated with, endorsed by, or connected to the National Health Service (NHS) or NHS England.
The site does not provide medical advice, diagnosis or treatment recommendations. Information is provided for general reference purposes only.
If you have concerns about your mental health or your position on an NHS waiting list, you should contact your GP or relevant NHS service directly.
Last updated: January 2026