Chancellor to announce boost for mental health funding and for Green Spaces

1. NHS mental health funding to rise by at least £2 billion a year

•  Funding will create new services – with comprehensive mental health support available in every major A&E department.
• It will also provide more mental health ambulances and dedicated teams in schools.
• Funding increase will drive progress towards achieving the government priority to get parity of care in NHS between mental and physical health.

The NHS will increase mental health investment by at least £2 billion a year in real terms by 2023/24, the Chancellor is expected to announce in the Budget.

He will confirm that the first stage of the NHS long-term plan will be to help achieve parity of esteem between mental and physical health services. The funding confirmed in the Budget will be in addition to the record levels of mental health spending – almost £12 billion last year.

The Prime Minister announced the NHS settlement in June 2018 and in October outlined a package of measures to be rolled out across the country with the aim of seeing 3 out of 4 of all cancers detected at an early stage by 2028.

People needing support will be able to access care in appropriate settings, relieving significant pressure on frontline public services like police that help people with mental health issues every day and can sometimes have to use police station cells.

The NHS will invest in new crisis services, so that:

• Anyone experiencing a mental health crisis can call NHS 111 24/7 and be directed to the right support.
• Comprehensive mental health support available 24/7 in every major A&E department so that those experiencing a mental health crisis get a specialist and rapid response.
• There will be more mental health specialist ambulances.
• More people can access services in the community, for example crisis cafes (a community space for people to access support without going to A&E).

Specialist crisis teams for children and younger people will be set up in every part of the country to build vital links between schools, social services and local young people’s mental health services. Schools will also have new dedicated teams supporting pupils with mild and moderate mental health problems.

More than 55,000 adults with severe mental illness will be helped by the NHS to find employment through a work placement and support scheme.

The announcement follows the government’s 5-year NHS funding settlement made in June 2018. The NHS has now committed to increasing mental health funding as a share of the overall budget over the next 5 years. Further work is underway on mental health as part of the NHS long-term plan.

2. Multi-million pound boost for Green Spaces

• Chancellor to build on government’s ambitious environmental plans
• Budget to pledge £60 million for tree planting all over England
• New study into potential Great Thames Park launched

Ambitious plans to plant millions more trees will be boosted thanks to £60 million of fresh cash to be announced by the Chancellor in today’s Budget. 

Philip Hammond’s Budget will continue the government’s ongoing drive to preserve the country’s greenery and ensure we are leaving the environment in a better state for the next generation. 

The £60 million of investment builds on the tree planting commitments in the government’s 25 Year Environment Plan, launched by the Prime Minister earlier this year. 

The Budget will announce two new pots of cash - £10 million for new street and urban trees, to be matched by contributions of funding and assistance from local authorities, community groups and charities; and up to £50 million to purchase carbon credits from landowners who plant qualifying woodland.

The latter would provide for an estimated 10 million new trees over the next 30 years.

Trees in urban environments provide valuable environmental services and enhance cities’ green infrastructure. Urban trees can also improve amenity and property values, slow surface water run-off, and can help absorb air pollutants.

Further enhancing the government\\'s emphasis on the importance of green spaces, the Budget is also expected to approve a study into a new “Great Thames Park” in the Thames Estuary, to celebrate and maximise the value of the area’s natural assets. This could improve access to and use of the River Thames for pedestrians and cyclists.

The Great Thames Park is one of the Thames Estuary 2050 Growth Commission’s priorities.

  Notes to editors:

1 Environment is a devolved matter so this funding would only apply in England.

2 For further information on the Great Thames Park go to https://assets.publishing.service.gov.uk/government/uploads/system/uploads/attachment_data/file/718805/2050_Vision.pdf

3 The criteria for qualifying woodland will be determined in due course, including species mix and the relative benefits of deciduous or coniferous woodland.