New NHS data has revealed that antidepressant use in England reached its highest recorded levels in 2025-26, with roughly one in seven people receiving a prescription. This increase follows a rise in diagnoses of common disorders such as depression and anxiety.
The surge in mental health conditions is correlated with the aftermath of the Covid-19 pandemic, during which the rate of depressive symptoms in adults in Britain doubled. As of April 2025, these figures remain almost as high, particularly affecting young people in England, where one in four have a mental health condition.
Regional inequalities also appear to worsen mental health outcomes and antidepressant use. The most significant increases in antidepressant prescriptions were observed in England's most impoverished areas. For instance, the North East and North Cumbria integrated care board, which includes some of the country's most deprived regions, reported the highest rate, with 200 in every 1,000 people prescribed antidepressant medication.
GPs adhere to strict clinical guidelines from the National Institute for Health and Care Excellence regarding antidepressant prescriptions. These guidelines advise against routinely offering antidepressants as a first-line treatment for less severe depression unless it is the patient's preference. Access to talking therapies, such as cognitive behavioural therapy, can involve waiting lists of months or even years on the NHS, especially in deprived areas, while antidepressants are generally more immediately accessible.
In May 2026, the government announced a new mental health strategy for England, aiming to shift from crisis intervention to preventive care. This strategy includes pledges to improve services and explore technological interventions, such as digital therapies for depression and anxiety, which could potentially free up NHS therapist hours.