Government announces new mental health strategy for England

Too often, people living with bipolar only get help when they reach crisis point. That’s why Bipolar UK welcomes the government’s announcement today (15 May 2026) of a new mental health strategy for England, and their ambition to ‘shift from crisis intervention to preventative care’.

For the 1 in 50 people living with bipolar, early diagnosis and consistent, specialist support are essential. Too many still face long delays, fragmented care, and a system where the support you receive depends on where you live and who you are.

When the government talks about “prevention”, it is vital that this includes helping people living with bipolar and other serious mental illnesses stay well and avoid relapse.

We also want to ensure the importance of community-based support is not downplayed or forgotten. Charities like Bipolar UK already provide trusted, peer-led services that help people manage their condition day to day. This work must be recognised, valued and properly supported. We are not simply an add-on or a nice to have.

We are pleased to have the chance to contribute to this strategy and, as always, will call for lived experience to be at its heart.

This is an important opportunity for the mental health community to come together and share their views. But we are also supporting people every day, often when they’ve been let down by a system that does not meet their needs. If we are to take time away from that work to input into another strategy consultation, it must lead to real, measurable change that lasts.

We know what people living with bipolar need thanks to our team’s own experiences, conversations with our community, and robust data. In our submission, we will call for earlier diagnosis and timely, consistent support that recognises what it’s actually like to live with bipolar, and what’s needed to live well.

Speaking about today’s announcement, Simon Kitchen, CEO of Bipolar UK, said:

“Too many people with bipolar still only get help when they reach crisis point. We welcome this new strategy, and particularly the focus on prevention. For our community, this means earlier diagnosis and support to stay well and avoid relapse.

“We will embrace this opportunity, but we’ve heard the ambition before. What we’re really interested in is delivery. This consultation, and the end result, must lead to real change people affected by bipolar can feel in their everyday lives.”

Find out more about the new mental health strategy and the call for evidence.