Major expansion of community mental health services announced for England
- Posted: 6 August 2026
The Government has announced a £343 million investment in community and crisis mental health services across England.
The new services are intended to help people get support earlier and closer to home, while providing specialist alternatives to A&E for people experiencing a mental health crisis.
The first sites are expected to open from autumn 2026, with further facilities opening from March 2027.
What's been announced?
The plans include:
- 100 new community mental health centres offering walk-in support without a referral
- 59 dedicated mental health emergency departments providing specialist crisis care outside A&E
- Greater coordination between mental health services, GPs, councils, voluntary organisations, housing support and employment services
The Government says the expansion is designed to make it easier for people to access support before their mental health deteriorates and to ensure those in crisis receive care in an appropriate setting.
Prime Minister Andy BurnhamNobody should be left to struggle with their mental health alone. But every day, thousands of people are waiting months for help, then finding the only door open to them is a busy A&E.
The Government describes the programme as the biggest redesign of mental health services in a generation.
A focus on earlier support
Mental Health Secretary Yvette Cooper said the new services would help address the gap between needing help and being able to access it.
Yvette Cooper, Secretary of State for Health and Social CareToo many people are only getting mental health support when they reach crisis point, after struggling for far too long to get the help they need.
She added that the new community centres are intended to make support easier to access before problems escalate, while specialist emergency departments will provide faster access to dedicated mental health care during a crisis.
Bipolar UK's response
The lack of a clear pathway to support for people with bipolar has cost jobs, relationships and, in some cases, lives. Expanding community mental health services is a welcome step towards helping people before they reach crisis point. But for those who do, it's reassuring to see more therapeutic alternatives to A&E being prioritised.
For bipolar, preventative care means faster diagnosis, regular medication reviews, and better access to talking therapies and peer support. If these new services can deliver that, they could be a game changer for people with bipolar and those who love them.
What happens next?
The announcement has been widely welcomed across the mental health sector, but many organisations have also highlighted the importance of ensuring services have the workforce needed to deliver on these ambitions.
For people affected by bipolar, the real measure of success will be whether these plans lead to faster diagnosis and fewer people reaching crisis point before receiving help.
Bipolar UK will continue to engage with developments and champion the support that our community needs to live well.
