Introduction

Why statistics on mental health matter

Understanding the mental health of people across the United Kingdom is essential for ensuring that government policies and health resources are targeted effectively to improve wellbeing and reduce inequalities. At the Office for Statistics Regulation, we are exploring how well mental health statistics in the UK are meeting users’ needs.

Responsibility for the policy, delivery and funding of mental health services lies with the devolved government in each country of the UK. We have previously published reviews of mental health statistics in England and Northern Ireland, as well as an update to our review in England. This report is focussed on mental health statistics in Wales.

Data from the National Survey for Wales show that average mental wellbeing scores have declined since 2016–17, reaching their lowest point in 2022–23 and remaining at a similar level in 2024-25 (the latest available data). The survey assesses mental wellbeing by asking 14 self-assessed questions from the Warwick-Edinburgh Mental Wellbeing Scale, where a higher score indicates better wellbeing. Wellbeing scores are lower for those in the most deprived groups compared to those in the least deprived groups. This gap widened after 2021–22, due to a large decline in the mental wellbeing score for those in the most deprived group. Lower wellbeing scores were also noted for those with poor physical health.

Mean mental wellbeing scores for children and young people aged 11–16 years, measured in Wales by the Student Health and Well-being Survey, remained fairly stable across academic years 2017–18 to 2023–24. However, they were consistently lower for those with lower family affluence across all academic years.

Welsh Government statistics show that in 2024–25, there were nearly 7.3 million prescriptions for antidepressants in Wales. This number has increased every year from just under two million in 2001–02. In 2023–24, 13,936 children and young people aged 11–18 years received counselling in Wales, an increase of 13% compared with 2022–23. Anxiety was the most common type of issue, increasing as the main presenting issue from 12% in 2015–16 to 40% in 2023–24, although this is a decrease from 46% in 2022–23. It also increased as a predominant issue from 12% in 2015–16 to 36% in 2023–24, which is again a decrease from 43% in 2022–23. A presenting issue is the reason that a client self-refers or is referred to a counsellor, while a predominant issue is the underlying issue(s) that is identified during the counselling process.

What we hope to achieve with this report

Although some data and statistics exist in Wales, such as mental wellbeing scores, and aspects related to mental health, the current provision overall is limited. This means that whilst valuable, the existing statistics are not sufficient to meet users’ needs. The Big Mental Health Report, published by Mind in 2024, called for the Welsh Government to commit to collecting and publishing more data about mental health.

In April 2025, the Welsh Government proposed a new mental health core dataset for Wales, as outlined in its Mental health and wellbeing strategy: strategy and delivery plan. Delivering the core dataset is a complex undertaking, and the strategy highlights several barriers to its successful implementation. Fundamentally, mental health data collection is not currently compulsory in Wales, unlike in England, and the strategy outlines an aim to mandate the new core dataset.

The Wales Alliance for Mental Health, a collaboration of Wales’ national mental health and suicide and self-harm charities, has reinforced the need for a core mental health dataset and the training, support and systems needed to successfully implement it. In its June 2025 report, Priorities for the next Welsh Government 2026, the Alliance recommended that the next Welsh Government should “Deliver a robust and transparent data system that focuses on both system, experiences and impact of support within the first year of the new Welsh Government”.

We want to raise the profile of mental health statistics in Wales, using our role as the UK’s statistics regulator to advocate for a better data infrastructure that enhances understanding of the prevalence of mental health conditions in Wales and the effectiveness of services and interventions. By doing so, we hope that these can continue to be improved to meet individuals’ needs.

To support these aims, alongside this report, we will continue to engage with a range of organisations and make the case for ongoing improvements to mental health data and statistics.

Our review approach

We began our review of mental health statistics in Wales in summer 2024. As well as reviewing the current data and statistics, we engaged with the producers of the statistics and with organisations that are involved more broadly in the data and statistics. We sought views from users of the statistics from a wide range of backgrounds, including government, public health bodies, third-sector organisations and care providers. Full details of the organisations that participated in the review are provided in the annex.