Wellcome UK Mental Health CSO Discretionary Grants: Political Engagement

A coordinated push by UK mental health charities is building a new political case to persuade Westminster to prioritise mental health during this parliament. The problem is that despite repeated promises, mental health policy in the UK has not kept pace with need. Civil society organisations (CSOs) often work in isolation, with fragmented messaging and limited capacity to engage politicians consistently. This project addresses that gap by pooling resources across the sector—funding additional public affairs staff, streamlining political monitoring, and developing a shared “sector pitch” to government. If successful, the work could shift how ministers and MPs from all parties think about mental health. It aims to create a unified, evidence-based argument that identifies concrete opportunities for policy breakthroughs—such as waiting time targets, funding commitments, or legislative changes—and shows how CSOs can help deliver them. The project also includes public attitude research and message testing to build a new communications framework, designed to increase public pressure on the UK Government. The ultimate change would be a political environment where mental health receives the same sustained attention as physical health, rather than being treated as a secondary concern.