Mental Health First Aid England

Mental Health First Aid England We’re a social enterprise that offers expert guidance and evidence-based training to support menta

We offer mental health training, including Mental Health First Aid (MHFA), a mental health skills and awareness programme. Our courses are written by clinical experts and those with lived experience. We give people tools to support themselves and each other, so everyone can talk about mental health and seek help when needed. Research shows our courses make a lasting difference to mental health knowledge and confidence. Over the last decade we’ve provided expert consultancy and training to over 20,000 workplaces. As a social enterprise, we start in the workplace and reinvest in supporting the next generation. We offer free and discounted training to those in the sports and recreation sectors working with young people. Together we will create a society where everyone’s mental health matters.

Long-term sickness driven by mental health conditions is the single largest contributor to economic inactivity across th...
06/10/2026

Long-term sickness driven by mental health conditions is the single largest contributor to economic inactivity across the nation.

For organisations, creating workplaces where people can access the right support has never been more important. Mental health first aid can play an important role in that support, helping people recognise signs of poor mental health and respond with confidence.

But having trained people in place is only part of the picture. The impact of mental health first aid also depends on how well it is implemented, supported and embedded within an organisation.

So, how can organisations make sure their mental health first aid provision is implemented effectively and sustained over time?

The Workplace Mental Health First Aid Standards provide a framework for doing exactly that.

Today, MHFA England has launched the Standards, the nation’s first evidence-based framework for effective workplace mental health first aid provision. They bring together evidence and the real-world experience of employers, MHFAiders® and Instructor Members.

They’re designed to help organisations move beyond one-off training and build mental health first aid into the wider workplace culture, setting out what good provision looks like from getting started through to embedding, reviewing and improving your approach.

The full Workplace Mental Health First Aid Standards are available now and free to download: https://ow.ly/VfLz50ZUoX8

The stories we remember shape what we understand about our history.This Black History Month, we’re revisiting our blog c...
05/10/2026

The stories we remember shape what we understand about our history.

This Black History Month, we’re revisiting our blog celebrating eight Black British women whose achievements have helped shape our society.

From Mary Seacole and Baroness Doreen Lawrence to Nicola Adams and Diane Abbott, their stories span generations and industries. Each has broken barriers in their own field and made a lasting contribution to British society.

Celebrating achievement also means recognising the barriers many Black people continue to face.

Black people in the UK continue to experience discrimination and exclusion, which can affect their mental health and wellbeing.

Creating safer, more equitable and inclusive workplaces means recognising these experiences alongside celebrating Black achievement.

This month, we’re doing both: celebrating Black voices, recognising the challenges that remain, and thinking about what we can all do to create change.

Read the blog and explore our free My Whole Self resources to help build more inclusive workplaces: https://ow.ly/Bgie50ZTPjV

Your work to-do list probably already has plenty on it.So this week, add a few things that help you get through it, too....
05/10/2026

Your work to-do list probably already has plenty on it.

So this week, add a few things that help you get through it, too.

Take your lunch. Step away from the screen. Protect your time. Have the conversation. Ask for help when you need it.

Not everything that matters needs to be urgent.

Things you do not need to take into the weekend:• That email you’ve rewritten six times• The meeting you keep replaying•...
02/10/2026

Things you do not need to take into the weekend:

• That email you’ve rewritten six times
• The meeting you keep replaying
• The thing you forgot to say on Tuesday
• Other people’s unwelcome opinions

Leave some of it at work. Your brain has done enough overtime.

Happy Friday!

Construction teams know the importance of spotting problems early.A structural issue doesn’t become less important becau...
01/10/2026

Construction teams know the importance of spotting problems early.

A structural issue doesn’t become less important because it isn’t immediately visible.

The same principle applies to mental health.

Mental health can remain largely invisible in the workplace, particularly when people don’t feel comfortable talking about what they’re experiencing.

92% of UK construction workers surveyed said they didn’t feel comfortable discussing their mental health with others, according to research from and ElectricalDirect.

And the pressure is clear. Research from Mates in Mind and The Chartered Institute of Building (CIOB) found that 91% of construction workers surveyed had felt overwhelmed at work, while 48% had taken time off because of unmanageable stress.

So there is a disconnect.

People can be experiencing significant pressure while feeling unable to talk about it.

For employers, that creates a practical challenge: how do you support people who may not ask for support themselves?

One part of the answer is building mental health capability across the workforce.

That doesn’t mean expecting every employee to become a mental health expert. It means giving people the knowledge and confidence to recognise when something may not be right, have an appropriate conversation and know where to signpost someone for further support.

MHFA England workplace training can help provide that foundation.

But training works best as part of something broader: clear routes to support, visible leadership, psychologically safer working environments and a culture where asking how someone is doing is seen as part of looking after the team.

Construction will always involve pressure.

The opportunity is to make sure that pressure doesn’t have to remain unspoken.

If you manage wellbeing or training for a construction team, talk to us about training for your team: https://mhfaengland.org/our-courses-and-training/mental-health-training-for-the-workplace/mental-health-courses-for-workplaces/?utm_source=linkedin&utm_medium=organic-social&utm_campaign=Autumn&utm_content=Workplace-training_Image__Oct_1_2026

Too many of us are suffering for poor mental health at work. The latest Mental Health Foundation report shows that the n...
29/09/2026

Too many of us are suffering for poor mental health at work.

The latest Mental Health Foundation report shows that the number of workers in the UK with poor mental health has grown by 66%.

This is the highest level recorded since the data series began in 2009.

With proper training and ongoing conversations, it is possible for organisations of all sizes to reverse this trend and transform workplaces into mentally healthy environments that benefit everyone.

Read more: https://reports.mentalhealth.org.uk/foundation-reports/september-2026/report/

Mental health belongs in conversations about the future of work.Our CEO, Sarah McIntosh, is attending the Labour Party C...
28/09/2026

Mental health belongs in conversations about the future of work.

Our CEO, Sarah McIntosh, is attending the Labour Party Conference in Liverpool, representing MHFA England and continuing our work to champion mentally healthier workplaces.

We’re proud to bring workplace mental health into these discussions and make the case for a future where healthier working lives are a priority.

Learn more about our campaigns and advocacy work: https://ow.ly/N8xH50ZSh6F

Culture change starts at the top. But it’s carried by people.At Spire Health , MHFA England® training has helped employe...
24/09/2026

Culture change starts at the top. But it’s carried by people.

At Spire Health , MHFA England® training has helped employees become more empathetic and less judgmental of one another, building a workplace culture where mental health isn’t stigmatised.

But culture isn’t created by policies or training alone. It’s shaped by what people do with what they’ve learned.

MHFAider® Tony Crane is one of those people.

His experience shows what can happen when people are trained and ready to support others when it matters.

Because organisations can create the conditions for change. MHFAiders help bring that change into everyday conversations, support and action.

Want to create that difference in your organisation? Explore our workplace mental health training: https://ow.ly/vhF350ZOMi1

Health-related economic inactivity costs Britain an estimated £212 billion a year.Today's Keep Britain Working report fr...
23/09/2026

Health-related economic inactivity costs Britain an estimated £212 billion a year.

Today's Keep Britain Working report frames that not simply as a welfare issue, but as one of the UK's biggest untapped opportunities for growth.

Sarah McIntosh, Chief Executive of Mental Health First Aid England, responding to today's report:

"This report rightly recognises workplace health as one of the UK's greatest opportunities for growth, with mental health central to that agenda. By taking earlier action, building psychologically safe cultures, and making support easier to access, employers can help people stay well, thrive at work, and contribute fully. Supporting mental health at work is not only the right thing to do; it is a business imperative that can help create more productive workplaces, a healthier economy, and a stronger society."

The report calls for a new Workplace Health System, built on better workplaces, better support and better data, to help employers realise that opportunity.

Mental health needs to be part of that conversation.

Find out how MHFA England can support your organisation: https://mhfaengland.org/our-courses-and-training/mental-health-workplace-consultancy/

Your brain needs breaks too. Take a moment away from your desk, make a cuppa, stretch your legs, or simply breathe.Remem...
23/09/2026

Your brain needs breaks too.

Take a moment away from your desk, make a cuppa, stretch your legs, or simply breathe.

Remember, regular breaks give our minds the space to process information, improve concentration, and reduce cognitive overload.

Small habits can make a big difference to your wellbeing.

Address

21 Prescot Street
London
E18BB

Opening Hours

Monday 9am - 5pm
Tuesday 9am - 5pm
Wednesday 9am - 5pm
Thursday 9am - 5pm
Friday 9am - 5pm

Telephone

+442039280760

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