Better Access to Talking Therapies Could Help Reduce Joblessness, Study Suggests
By Mental Health Correspondent
Expanding access to NHS Talking Therapies could play a role in reducing long-term unemployment linked to mental health conditions, according to new research from the University of Manchester.
The study, published in the International Journal of Mental Health Systems, examined data from more than 535,000 working-age adults in the UK between 2015 and 2020.
Researchers looked at whether differences in local access to talking therapies were linked to whether people were in work or economically inactive.
They found a significant employment gap: people reporting long-term mental health problems were around 36% less likely to be in the labour force compared with those without such conditions.
However, the analysis also suggested a possible positive link between service availability and employment.
In areas where access to therapy was higher — equivalent to about a 22% increase in appointments — the gap in labour force participation was reduced by just under one percentage point.
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The effect appeared stronger among people aged 45 to 65, men, and those not receiving benefits.
Researchers say previous evidence already shows psychological treatment can reduce symptoms of mental illness and improve outcomes such as productivity and time off work.
The new study focuses instead on broader regional differences in service supply, rather than individual treatment outcomes.
They suggest that better access to therapy may encourage more people to seek help earlier, reduce stigma around mental health, and influence how GPs manage cases in primary care.
Only around one in five working-age adults diagnosed with a mental health condition currently receives a full course of NHS Talking Therapies, indicating that there may be wider population-level effects if access is expanded.
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Lead researcher Joe Dodd, a PhD student at the University of Manchester, said:
“Our findings suggest that improving access to psychological therapies doesn’t just support people’s wellbeing — it may also help close the long-standing labour market gaps experienced by those with mental health problems.
“As governments look for ways to boost labour force participation, mental health policy should be part of that conversation.
“Policymakers should consider the indirect economic effects of expanding psychological therapy services when designing future mental health strategies.”
