NHS Counselling Waiting Times: How Long Will You Have to Wait for NHS Therapy

The number of people in contact with NHS mental health services in the UK has exploded since the 2020 Covid pandemic – reaching 2 million people in January 2025.

The extended waiting times for NHS counselling services are creating a significant secondary mental health crisis across the UK. Despite the target for people to wait no more than 4 weeks for talking therapies, patients frequently report waiting 6 months or more for their first appointment after referral. In February 2025, researchers for the charity Rethink Mental Illness estimated that 16,500 people were still waiting for mental health care a staggering 18 months or more after being referred.

These delays can transform minor, manageable mental health conditions into more severe, entrenched problems requiring much more radical intervention. Recent NHS data indicates that over 250,000 children alone are waiting for mental health support at any one time. There are profound implications for individuals, healthcare systems, and the broader economy.

People who can’t access timely mental health support can experience a marked deterioration of their condition. What might begin as mild anxiety or depression can develop into more complex presentations, potentially leading to increased emergency department visits and higher rates of self-harm and suicidal ideation.

Research published in the British Journal of Psychiatry demonstrates that early intervention significantly improves treatment outcomes. Each month of delay can reduce the effectiveness of eventual treatment by approximately 3–5%, making the current waiting times particularly concerning.

The persistence of extensive waiting times for NHS counselling services represents not merely an administrative challenge but a profound public health concern requiring urgent and comprehensive policy intervention.

If you need help earlier, there are options in the private sector. Seeing a private counsellor needn’t be a lengthy or expensive option.

Click here for more information on mental health provision in the Oxford area.