Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:

To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, what steps he is taking to reduce reliance on (a) voluntary and (b) charitable organisations to deliver core mental health services for older people; and what steps his Department plans to take to provide sustainable statutory funding to fill service gaps covered by the voluntary sector.

The Government values the huge contribution that voluntary and charitable organisations play in supporting older people with their mental health.

The 10-Year Health Plan sets out ambitious plans to transform mental health services to improve access and treatment, and to promote good mental health and wellbeing for the nation. This includes improving assertive outreach, investing in mental health emergency departments and neighbourhood mental health centres, and increasing access to talking therapies and evidence-based digital interventions.

Spending on mental health support is forecast to increase by £688 million in cash terms this financial year. Details of future funding arrangements, including integrated care board allocations over the next three years, will be set out across revenue finance and contracting guidance, capital guidance, and published allocations in due course.