Britain has ushered in a new era for mental health care as the landmark Mental Health Act officially received Royal Assent and became law on Friday, 19 December 2025. Health Secretary Wes Streeting declared the legislation a fundamental shift, promising to consign the "unfair and outdated" 1983 Mental Health Act to history.
A Watershed Moment for Patient Dignity
In a significant announcement, Wes Streeting stated this is the first piece of legislation passed by his department under the current government. He framed it not just as a personal milestone, but as a kept promise to thousands of vulnerable people failed by a system "stuck in the past."
The 1983 Act, older than many clinicians now using it, has been criticised for decades for stripping patients of dignity, voice, and agency. Its application led to demonstrable racial inequalities and saw autistic people and those with learning disabilities detained inappropriately, often with families shut out of care decisions.
Putting Patients in the Driving Seat
The new law is designed to address the injustices highlighted in Professor Sir Simon Wessely's landmark 2018 review. Its core principles revolve around granting patients greater control and autonomy over their treatment.
Key reforms include the introduction of statutory Care and Treatment Plans (CTPs) and Advance Choice Documents (ACDs), which will formally outline a patient's road to recovery and their preferences for future care. The Act also mandates that families and carers are included in decision-making rooms.
Furthermore, it ends the practice of placing seriously unwell individuals in police cells instead of hospitals and introduces stronger protections to ensure the voices of children and young people are genuinely listened to regarding their care.
Backing Reform with Investment and Resources
The government is coupling legislative change with substantial ground-level investment. A major workforce expansion is planned, with 8,500 additional mental health workers to be recruited.
Other key measures include:
- Rolling out mental health support teams in schools.
- Expanding access to talking therapies.
- Investing £473 million in mental health infrastructure.
This funding will help establish 24/7 Neighbourhood Mental Health Centres and fund more hospital beds for people in crisis. These steps form part of a broader 10-year health plan to shift care into communities and intervene before individuals reach a crisis point.
The Health Secretary paid tribute to campaigners like Steve Gilbert, who was diagnosed with bipolar disorder after being sectioned in 2010. Gilbert co-chaired the Mental Health Act Review and worked to ensure voices, particularly from the Black community which has faced disproportionate detention rates, were heard.
"Mental health is health," Streeting concluded. "And today, we’ve taken a giant leap towards building an NHS that finally treats it that way."
