Founder and Editor
With referrals to NHS mental health services up significantly since the pandemic and an increasing number of people looking for private therapy, our private healthcare researchers felt it would be beneficial to survey psychologists to learn what they charge for initial assessment and ongoing consultations.
NHS England tracks and publishes data on mental health referrals. One of the starkest facts, which illustrates the scale of the challenges faced, is that people in contact with secondary mental health services was 31% higher in 2022-23 compared to 2018-19 (the year before the pandemic).
Even comparing just the past two years (2021-22 vs 2022-23), the number of people in contact with secondary mental health services has risen by just over 10%. Of course, this includes more than just psychology services, but it illustrates that the NHS mental health services are busier than ever.
Note: These stats from NHS England and represent people who have been in contact with NHS-funded secondary mental health, learning disabilities, and autism services within the year. To be in contact, they need to have had a referral; it doesn't necessarily mean they received treatment.
This article is based on the results from our 2024 private psychotherapy survey, in which we asked 435 psychologists about their availability, waiting times, and fees. Before we get onto the findings from a cost perspective, we want to highlight that the survey found that 44% of psychologists in the UK aren't currently accepting new patients, with 38% saying they're fully booked, a clear indication that the private sector is very busy, too.
Looking at data from Google, we can see that alongside the growth in people being referred within the NHS, an increasing number are searching for "private therapy" in Google's search engine.
So we've set the scene: There's significant demand for mental health services, be that in the NHS or privately, but what do qualified therapists actually charge?
In January 2024, our private healthcare experts surveyed 435 psychologists across the UK to find out what it costs to see them for an initial assessment and follow-up. We found that the average cost of an initial consultation with a private psychologist was £125, with follow-up sessions costing £116.
The prices we received varied significantly across the UK, with some regions such as North West England seeing average prices of £155 for an initial consultation, in contrast to Yorkshire and the Humber where the same could be arranged for as little as £108.
In this section, we share our region-by-region findings in table form and as an interactive graphic to make the numbers easier to digest.
The map below is fully interactive, so please click to uncover the pricing details for each region.
As can be seen by the above figures, the cost of seeing a psychologist privately is higher in the North West, The Midlands, the West of England, and London. Surprisingly, and despite our finding availability was poorer in the South, prices there were more modest than elsewhere in the country.
You can access private psychological services in the UK in several ways, but in all cases, as it's private, it means paying for treatment.
If you or a family member are currently suffering from a mental health condition and you're keen to see someone privately, the best course of action is to self-pay, as, unfortunately, a new health insurance policy won't cover the cost of treating something that pre-exists you taking out a policy.
If you're reading this and perhaps want to protect your or your family's mental health but don't currently have a condition or symptoms, then private health insurance could be a good option.
Many insurers include a level of "mental health support" in their core products, which typically has a set number of remote counselling sessions, but you can also enhance your policy by adding mental health cover, which will then give you access to a broader range of private mental health professionals and services should you need them.
Our research found significant differences in the cost of therapy around the UK, but most of the psychologists we surveyed also offered remote consultations. So, if you're comfortable having telephone or video consultations rather than face-to-face ones, then it matters less where your therapist is in the country. Using our research, you could contact a psychologist in one of the less expensive regions and arrange for remote support.
If you want to find a psychologist, a good place to start is The British Psychological Society's "Find a psychologist" website.
We appreciate that many won't have the means to either self-pay for treatment or take out medical insurance, so here are some additional resources for those who need support.
Disclaimer: This information is general and what is best for you will depend on your personal circumstances. Please speak with a financial adviser or do your own research before making a decision.
Chris is our resident private health insurance and healthcare expert. He has over a decade of experience writing about private medical insurance and treatment. He's Chartered Insurance Institute qualified and is regularly quoted by the national press.
