Public policy

We exist to promote the value of psychotherapy within society. Our public policy work is driven by a profound commitment to promoting greater access to high-quality psychotherapies for all members of the public, regardless of background or status.

Through engaging with governments, parliamentarians, the NHS, HEE (Health Education England), and other public bodies, we seek to bring about improvements in the understanding and availability of psychotherapy to all those who would benefit.

We do this in a number of ways:

meeting with policymakers
holding events, writing reports
responding to government consultations
commenting on national issues through the media.

Wherever possible we work with partners in other professional bodies such as the British Psychoanalytic Council and the British Association of Counselling and Psychotherapy, as well as patient and service user representative bodies including Mind and the National Survivor Users Network (NSUN).

Our policy goals

Our primary strategic objective is to increase access to psychotherapy. This cannot be achieved without making a wider range of therapies available to people from all walks of life through the NHS.

Access to psychotherapy

Rates of depression and anxiety are rising fast, while many people struggle to access quality care through the NHS due to long waiting times, uneven provision, and lack of choice.

Benefit sanctions

If a person fails to follow Jobcentre conditions, their benefits will be cut. For example, missing an appointment. We’re campaigning to end benefit sanctions because of their harsh effects on people’s mental health.

Conversion therapy

Practitioners of ‘conversion therapy’ aim to change a person’s sexual orientation or suppress a person’s gender identity. UKCP actively campaigns against all forms of conversion therapy.