People across Scotland will have access to expanded 24 hour mental health support as part of an estimated £1.5 billion investment in mental health and wellbeing for 2026 to 2027.
The funding package includes £3.5 million of new investment aimed at making it easier for people to access help while reducing pressure on A&E departments and frontline services such as Police Scotland.
The NHS 24 Mental Health Hub will be expanded to provide additional psychological support for people who would benefit from early access to treatment.
The Hub already offers round the clock assistance to anyone in Scotland experiencing urgent mental health distress by connecting callers to trained professionals for assessment, advice and onward referral to appropriate services.
Around 10,000 people each month access urgent mental health support through NHS 24 by calling 111.
The expansion of NHS 24 support to include psychological therapies has been backed by £1.1 million in 2025 to 2026 and a further £1.5 million in 2026 to 2027.
A new Crisis Framework for Children and Young People has also been launched, supported by an initial £1 million to improve emergency mental health responses across six NHS Board areas.
The framework sets out best practice for supporting children and young people experiencing a mental health crisis and aims to improve how families access urgent help.
The investment builds on the Distress Brief Intervention programme, which has supported more than 100,000 people since its introduction by providing rapid support and follow up care.
Speaking during a visit to The Lighthouse in Perth, which offers crisis support for children and young people, First Minister John Swinney said:
“We are working hard to ensure everyone in Scotland, wherever they live, has 24/7 access to the right mental health and wellbeing support.
“Our 24/7 NHS 24 Mental Health Hub has been set up so that calls from anyone in distress are redirected to specially trained practitioners.
“The service is supporting thousands of people each month and is easing pressure on other frontline services like A&E and the police, and strengthens the range of emergency mental health support available across Scotland.
“We are also launching a new Crisis Framework for Children and Young People today, to improve how young people and their families can access urgent mental health support.
“I am grateful to organisations like The Lighthouse who have helped shape our approach and who are delivering essential services in our communities.
“Over the last two years almost 80,000 children, young people and family members accessed Scottish Government funded community services, and our new Crisis Intervention Fund will enable local areas to go further in offering the right crisis response.”
Sharon Thomas, Operations Manager at The Lighthouse for Perth, said:
“The new Crisis Framework for Children and Young People will be an excellent resource for everyone working in crisis support.
“The Lighthouse have been working hard over the past 6 years delivering this type of person centred service across Perth and Kinross and we are delighted to have had the opportunity to contribute to the new framework to ensure this will now be available across the whole of Scotland.
“It is a pleasure to have the First Minister visit today and the announcement of additional funding is very welcome.
“Young people are the future of this country and we need to ensure they have the support they need, when they need it to shape the future of our communities.”
Subject to the Budget Bill passing, combined spending by the Scottish Government and NHS Boards on mental health is expected to exceed £1.5 billion in 2026 to 2027.
