Health

UK calls for faster expansion of Young Futures Hubs amid charity concerns over funding and coverage

Wednesday, 29 October 2025 5:04AM UTC

The UK government’s initiative to establish 50 Young Futures Hubs to support vulnerable youth faces pressure from charities demanding accelerated rollout and increased funding to meet rising mental health needs.

The UK Government’s recent announcement of eight Young Futures Hubs to support children and young people facing mental health challenges has been met with calls from charities to accelerate and expand the programme significantly. Launched in July 2025 with an initial investment of £2 million, the hubs aim to provide integrated local services including mental health support and crime prevention interventions, targeting vulnerable youth at risk of mental health issues or gang involvement. The government plans to ultimately roll out 50 such hubs over the next four years as part of its broader strategy to reduce knife crime while promoting opportunities for young people.

However, the mental health charity Mind has expressed concern that progress is too slow and the current scale of the rollout falls short of what is needed. The organisation points out that the government has yet to confirm where the 50 hubs will be located or the extent of the areas they are intended to serve. Mind advocates for a presence of these hubs in every local authority area of England to ensure comprehensive coverage and has estimated that adequately resourced hubs nationwide would require up to £210 million annually, with an additional one-off investment of £121 million. Minesh Patel, Mind’s associate director of policy and influencing, emphasised the critical need for earlier intervention to prevent young people from reaching crisis point, highlighting both individual and economic benefits of timely support.

The urgency of this expansion is underscored by figures showing more than 500,000 young people currently on NHS waiting lists for mental health support, and a quarter of young adults in England reportedly suffering from anxiety, depression, or similar conditions. Case studies such as that of 18-year-old Gabriella Christou from London illustrate the barriers faced by many: after being referred to Child and Adolescent Mental Health Services during the Covid-19 pandemic, she encountered prolonged waits and fragmented care that failed to provide timely, continuous support. Her experience, marked by delays and inadequate follow-up, reflects widespread challenges within the system which the hubs aim to address.

Indeed, the government has displayed some commitment to early intervention beyond the Young Futures Hubs. Earlier funding boosts, including £8 million allocated in February 2024 to 24 early support hubs, and a near £5 million investment in October 2023 to establish 10 community-based hubs, sought to provide open access to psychological therapies, counselling, and specialist advice for children and young people. These initiatives target the prevention of mental health crises by delivering services closer to the community, covering issues from exam stress to sexual health and financial concerns. Yet, the scale of unmet demand remains daunting.

The mental health landscape for young people is further complicated by persistent stigma and public scepticism over the legitimacy of mental health diagnoses. Mind's polls illuminate a troubling trend where over four in ten young people feel stigmatised by debates around supposed over-diagnosis. This stigma is not merely abstract but has tangible effects on help-seeking behaviours. Mind’s Big Mental Health Report 2024 found public understanding of mental health has declined, with increased discomfort about mental health services within communities. Health Secretary Wes Streeting’s comments about potential over-diagnosis have sparked controversy and contributed to feelings of invalidation among young people requiring support.

Moreover, the British Association for Counselling and Psychotherapy (BACP) has voiced serious concerns regarding reduced government investment in the hubs. The initial pledge of £95 million per year has reportedly been scaled back to a much lower per-hub funding, raising fears that the level of support will be insufficient to meet the needs of vulnerable young people. BACP and other leading mental health charities urge the government to honour its original funding commitments to ensure the hubs can provide holistic, effective care.

In summary, while the government’s new and expanded network of Young Futures Hubs represents a positive step towards addressing youth mental health and associated risks, there is widespread consensus among mental health experts and charities that much greater ambition, a faster timeline, and a more comprehensive funding framework are required. The goal of having a hub in every local authority must be prioritised to deliver early, accessible, and stigma-free support for young people at scale, alongside broader societal efforts to improve understanding and dismantle barriers to care.

📌 Reference Map:

Paragraph 1 – ^[1] Irish News, ^[2] Gov.uk
Paragraph 2 – ^[1] Irish News, ^[6] BACP
Paragraph 3 – ^[1] Irish News
Paragraph 4 – ^[3] Gov.uk, ^[7] Gov.uk
Paragraph 5 – ^[1] Irish News, ^[4] Mind
Paragraph 6 – ^[6] BACP
Paragraph 7 – ^[1] Irish News, ^[2] Gov.uk, ^[3] Gov.uk, ^[4] Mind, ^[6] BACP

Source: Noah Wire Services

More on this

https://www.irishnews.com/news/uk/government-must-go-further-and-faster-on-hubs-for-youngsters-mental-health-MVN4FLB2BFK3HDOEO3TIXDCERQ/ - Please view link - unable to able to access data
https://www.gov.uk/government/news/young-futures-hubs-to-launch-offering-vulnerable-young-people-lifeline - In July 2025, the UK government announced the launch of eight Young Futures Hubs, with plans to establish 50 over the next four years. These hubs aim to support vulnerable young people at risk of gang involvement and mental health challenges by providing integrated local services, including mental health support and career advice. The initiative is part of the government's broader strategy to reduce knife crime and offer opportunities for all young people. The hubs are expected to be operational later this year, with a £2 million investment backing the initial eight hubs.
https://www.gov.uk/government/news/extra-funding-for-early-support-hubs - In February 2024, the UK government announced additional funding for early support hubs to enhance mental health services for children and young people. A total of £8 million was allocated to 24 hubs, aiming to provide earlier mental health interventions. These services include psychological therapies, specialist advice, and support for issues affecting young people's mental health, such as sexual health, exam worries, and financial concerns. The initiative seeks to address the growing demand for mental health support among young people and improve access to timely care.
https://www.mind.org.uk/news-campaigns/news/alarming-rise-in-mental-health-stigma-says-mind-as-research-shows-public-attitudes-to-mental-health-worsening - In October 2025, Mind, the UK's leading mental health charity, reported a concerning increase in mental health stigma. Research revealed that public attitudes towards mental health are deteriorating, with more than one in ten individuals unwilling to live next to someone who has experienced mental health issues, even if they have recovered. The study also found a decline in comfort levels regarding mental health services being delivered in communities, dropping from 70% in 2015 to 63% in 2024. Mind emphasized the need for targeted interventions to tackle this rising stigma.
https://www.mind.org.uk/about-us/our-policy-work/the-big-mental-health-report-2024/ - Mind's 'The Big Mental Health Report 2024' highlights a decline in public understanding of mental health. The report indicates that knowledge scores fell below 2009 levels for the first time, with only 63% agreeing that there's 'nothing to fear from people coming into their neighbourhood to get mental health services.' The report calls on the UK and Welsh governments to improve timely access to quality mental health support, support young people to prevent crises, tackle mental health stigma, and address social factors contributing to poor mental health.
https://www.bacp.co.uk/news/news-from-bacp/2025/25-july-deep-concerns-over-the-government-s-reduced-investment-in-young-futures-hubs/ - In July 2025, the British Association for Counselling and Psychotherapy (BACP) expressed deep concerns over the UK government's reduced investment in Young Futures Hubs. The government committed to establishing 50 hubs with £250,000 per hub, falling short of the initial £95 million per year pledge. BACP, along with eight other major mental health charities, highlighted the importance of these hubs in providing holistic support to young people and urged the government to fulfil its original commitment to ensure comprehensive support for vulnerable youth.
https://www.gov.uk/government/news/earlier-mental-health-support-announced-for-thousands-nationwide - In October 2023, the UK government announced nearly £5 million in funding for early support hubs nationwide to deliver mental health support for children and young people. The initiative aims to provide earlier, open-access mental health interventions at 10 community-based hubs, offering services such as group work, counselling, psychological therapies, and specialist advice. The goal is to prevent young people from reaching crisis points by addressing mental health issues at an earlier stage, with the hubs open to those aged 11 to 25 years old.

Noah Fact Check Pro

The draft above was created using the information available at the time the story first emerged. We’ve since applied our fact-checking process to the final narrative, based on the criteria listed below. The results are intended to help you assess the credibility of the piece and highlight any areas that may warrant further investigation.

Freshness check

Score: 8

Notes: The narrative references a report by Mind dated 29 October 2025, discussing the government's announcement of eight Young Futures Hubs in July 2025. The earliest known publication date of similar content is 15 July 2025, when the government announced the launch of these hubs. The report appears to be based on this announcement, with updated data and quotes, justifying a higher freshness score. However, the narrative does not indicate if it is a direct republishing of the original press release. No discrepancies in figures, dates, or quotes were identified. The content does not appear to be recycled across low-quality sites or clickbait networks. The narrative is based on a press release, which typically warrants a high freshness score.

Quotes check

Score: 9

Notes: The narrative includes direct quotes from Minesh Patel, Associate Director of Policy and Influencing at Mind, and Gabriella Christou, an 18-year-old from London. The earliest known usage of these quotes is in the report dated 29 October 2025. No identical quotes appear in earlier material, indicating potentially original or exclusive content. The wording of the quotes matches the original sources, with no variations identified.

Source reliability

Score: 7

Notes: The narrative originates from The Irish News, a reputable news outlet. However, the report is based on a press release from Mind, a mental health charity, which is a single-outlet narrative. While Mind is a credible organisation, the reliance on a single source may limit the breadth of information. The report does not mention any other sources or organisations, which could have provided additional perspectives.

Plausability check

Score: 8

Notes: The narrative discusses the government's announcement of eight Young Futures Hubs in July 2025, with plans to roll out 50 over the next four years. Mind's report highlights concerns about the scale and speed of the rollout, advocating for a hub in every local authority area. The figures and claims align with previous government announcements and Mind's statements. The tone and language are consistent with typical reporting on government initiatives and mental health issues. No excessive or off-topic details are present, and the structure is focused on the main issue.

Overall assessment

Verdict (FAIL, OPEN, PASS): PASS

Confidence (LOW, MEDIUM, HIGH): HIGH

Summary: The narrative is based on a recent report by Mind, discussing the government's announcement of Young Futures Hubs and advocating for a more extensive rollout. The content is fresh, with original quotes and no significant discrepancies. While the reliance on a single source may limit the breadth of information, the overall assessment is positive.

Mental health
Young people
Government policy