Council to cut funding for mental health centres

Funding for mental health wellbeing services in Hampshire is set to be slashed despite charity concerns over the knock-on effects on waiting lists.

Hampshire County Council (HCC) has approved a cut to funding for wellbeing centres, which provide support for people recovering from mental health issues.

Mental health charity Solent Mind said they provided help "during times of need".

The council said it faced "very difficult decisions" in dealing with its £132m predicted financial shortfall for 2025/26.

The 13 centres in the Hampshire local authority area and are non-clinical settings in easy-to-access high street locations.

From the end of January 2025, the funding will be reduced from £1,281,777 to £625,000.

Sally Arscott, chief executive of Solent Mind, said that the centres provided safe spaces for emotional support, workshops, courses and activities

She said the county council should take a "proactive approach" since the services help "reduce the burden faced by statutory services," particularly children's services.

The centres would not be able to continue providing the current level of one-to-one provision, meaning that people with complex needs "may not get the level of help they need", she added,

Marcella House in Hythe is one of the 13 centres affected

Mrs Arscott said: "As a result of the proposal, the waiting list currently is over 100 people waiting up to eight or ten weeks, which will be much longer and more pressure."

Liz Fairhurst, the council's executive member for adult social care and public health, acknowledged "how valuable" the centres were and emphasised that none would be closed.

"Adult health and care will be providing these services without charge. Even if we can't provide all the money people would like, we are providing in kind by doing this and giving buildings of peppercorn rent," she said.