# Put mental health support teams in every school

> “rolling out mental health support teams to every school and college by 2029, reaching nearly 800,000 additional children and young people this year, alongside a £7 million investment in early support hubs in 2026 to 2027”
>
> — HM Government; Written answer by Health minister Stephen Kinnock, 8 May 2025

- **Status:** Delivering
- **Status ladder:** Promised → In plan → Legislated → Funded → Delivering → Delivered
- **Policy area:** [Health](https://ledgergov.uk/promises/area/health)
- **Speaker:** [HM Government](https://ledgergov.uk/actor/hm-government)
- **Made on:** 8 May 2025
- **Where:** Written answer by Health minister Stephen Kinnock
- **Deadline:** 31 December 2029
- **Cost a year:** No costing published
- **Who it affects:** Pupils and learners in schools and colleges in England
- **When:** By 2029
- **Paid for by:** Not stated when it was announced
- **Quote source:** https://www.gov.uk/government/news/government-pledges-earlier-support-to-tackle-mental-health-crises (checked word for word on 12 October 2026; Open Government Licence v3.0)
- **Last updated:** 12 October 2026
- **Card:** https://ledgergov.uk/promise/uk-mhst-every-school-2029

## Where it stands

In 2025-26, 5.8 million pupils and learners (60%) were covered by a mental health support team, and 11,800 schools and colleges (48%); the Department for Education projects 66% of pupils and 53% of schools and colleges by 31 March 2027 (data release, 10 June 2026). The deadline was first 2029/30 (to March 2030) and since October 2025 has been "by 2029", which the Department for Education reads as the end of 2029. The Spending Review 2025 names the expansion in the health settlement but gives no separate figure; Labour's 2024 manifesto promised mental health professionals in every school and costed it at £175m in 2028-29 (a party figure). The teams began under the previous government in 2018.

## Timeline

- 8 May 2025, Promised: The government commits in a written answer to mental health support teams in 100% of schools and colleges by 2029/30
- 11 June 2025, Funded: The Spending Review 2025 health settlement includes expanding mental health support teams to 100% of schools by 2029-30 ([evidence](https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/spending-review-2025-document/spending-review-2025-html))
- 10 June 2026, Delivering: Department for Education data: 60% of pupils and learners and 48% of schools and colleges covered in 2025-26 ([evidence](https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/mental-health-support-teams-coverage-and-school-and-college-experience))
- 9 October 2026, Reworded: The Department of Health and Social Care now says every school and college by 2029, earlier than the 2029/30 first given ([evidence](https://www.gov.uk/government/news/government-pledges-earlier-support-to-tackle-mental-health-crises))
- 31 December 2029, Deadline (to come): Mental health support teams in every school and college due by the end of 2029

## Earlier wording

- Version 1, 8 May 2025: “The Government has committed to expanding Mental Health Support Teams (MHSTs) in schools and colleges to reach 100% coverage by 2029/30.” ([source](https://questions-statements.parliament.uk/written-questions/detail/2025-04-29/48881))

## Sources

- [Written answer UIN 48881, 8 May 2025 (Stephen Kinnock): Mental Health Support Teams](https://questions-statements.parliament.uk/written-questions/detail/2025-04-29/48881)
- [Department of Health and Social Care press release, 9 Oct 2026: Government pledges earlier support to tackle mental health crises](https://www.gov.uk/government/news/government-pledges-earlier-support-to-tackle-mental-health-crises)
- [Department for Education: Mental Health Support Teams, coverage and school and college experience, 10 Jun 2026](https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/mental-health-support-teams-coverage-and-school-and-college-experience)
- [HM Treasury: Spending Review 2025, paragraph 5.16](https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/spending-review-2025-document/spending-review-2025-html)
- [NHS England: Medium Term Planning Framework, 2026/27 to 2028/29 (October 2025)](https://www.england.nhs.uk/long-read/medium-term-planning-framework-delivering-change-together-2026-27-to-2028-29/)
- [Labour Party: Change, 2024 manifesto (PDF), page 84](https://labour.org.uk/wp-content/uploads/2024/06/Labour-Party-manifesto-2024.pdf#page=84)

## Checks

- Checked by Pavel Guzhikov and 1 independent editor on 12 October 2026.

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