5th December 2024

Commenting on the Scottish Government’s draft 2025-26 budget, Billy Watson, Chief Executive of SAMH (Scottish Action for Mental Health), said:

“Scotland is in the midst of a mental health crisis. Recognising this, the Scottish Government said in 2021 that they would increase mental health spending by 25% in this parliamentary session. In 2023, Audit Scotland calculated that would require annual spending of £342 million in 2026-27. 

"Instead, the Scottish Government froze that spending at £290 million in its 2024-25 budget, and is now proposing to reduce it to £270 million in this budget. We are going backwards and it seems unlikely the Scottish Government will deliver on its promise. With this budget Ministers are letting down the growing number of people with mental health problems.

“We do welcome increased funding for NHS Boards but they will have to ensure that at least 10% of their frontline spend goes towards mental health, another Government commitment which has not been met and which in recent years has also gone in the wrong direction. We will wait for more information on the implications of the budget for social care.”