Mental Health Support for Immigrants in the UK

Why Immigration Affects Mental Health

See our homesickness guide for coping strategies.

Moving to a new country is a large upheaval, and the strains below are ones people commonly describe. This section is a list of what those strains are, not a claim about how common any of them is.

Common mental health challenges for immigrants include:

• Homesickness and separation. Being far from family, friends, and familiar places.
• Culture shock. Adapting to different social norms, language, weather, and daily life.
• Visa uncertainty. The stress of waiting for decisions, meeting requirements, and worrying about the future.
• Discrimination and racism. Experiencing prejudice or feeling unwelcome.
• Language barriers. Struggling to communicate, which can cause frustration and isolation.
• Loss of professional identity. Highly qualified professionals who cannot work in their field in the UK due to visa restrictions or qualification recognition issues.
• Financial stress. The cost of visas, the IHS, and establishing a new life.

Accessing NHS Mental Health Services

If you hold a valid UK visa and have paid the Immigration Health Surcharge, you are entitled to NHS mental health services. The main pathways are:

NHS Talking Therapies (Formerly IAPT)

This is the NHS's free talking therapy service for common mental health conditions like anxiety and depression. In most areas, you can self-refer without seeing a GP first. Services include:

• Cognitive Behavioural Therapy (CBT)
• Counselling
• Guided self-help
• Group therapy

Waiting times vary by area, and each service publishes its own. Some services offer sessions in languages other than English or with an interpreter.

GP Referral

Your GP can refer you to specialist mental health services, including psychiatry, complex trauma services, and community mental health teams. Register with a GP as soon as you arrive in the UK.

Crisis Services

If you are in a mental health crisis:

• 999 — if you or someone else is in immediate danger.
• 116 123 — Samaritans, 24 hours a day, 7 days a week, free from any phone.
• 111 — NHS urgent advice. You can get help from 111 online, or call 111 and select the mental health option.
• A&E — go to your nearest emergency department for urgent psychiatric help.
• 0800 1111 — Childline, if you are under 19.

The published NHS charging rules list services that are free to everyone in England, whatever their immigration status or whether they have paid the immigration health surcharge. Those include accident and emergency services (at an A&E department, walk-in centre, minor injuries unit or urgent care centre), the NHS 111 advice line, registering with and being seen by a GP, treatment given under a court order or mental health detention, and treatment for conditions caused by torture, female genital mutilation, domestic violence or sexual violence.

Will It Affect My Visa?

Accessing mental health support does not affect your ILR or citizenship applications.

Here is what the published rules actually say. Using NHS mental health services is not listed as a ground of refusal. NHS treatment is not a "public fund", so the no recourse to public funds condition that sits on most work, study and family permissions does not bar it — that condition bars most benefits, not healthcare.

The rules do contain a separate suitability ground about debt to the NHS: if an NHS body tells the Home Office that someone has failed to pay an NHS charge, that can count against an application. This is about an unpaid bill, not about having had treatment. Paying the immigration health surcharge is what makes NHS care free at the point of use for most people with permission to stay.

Your GP and mental health professionals are bound by patient confidentiality, and the NHS has its own rules on when patient data may be shared.

Specialist Organisations for Immigrants

• Mind — the UK's leading mental health charity. Provides information in multiple languages and has local branches across the country.
• Refugee Council — specialist mental health support for refugees and asylum seekers.
• Freedom from Torture — therapy and support for survivors of torture.
• Helen Bamber Foundation — integrated care for survivors of trafficking, torture, and human cruelty.
• Migrant Help — advice and support for migrants and refugees.
• Solace Women's Aid — support for women experiencing domestic violence (available regardless of immigration status).

Cultural Considerations

Join community groups for peer support.

In many cultures, mental health is stigmatised or not openly discussed. If seeking help feels uncomfortable:

• Remember that in the UK, seeking mental health support is viewed positively and is extremely common.
• You can request a therapist who understands your cultural background or speaks your language.
• Many communities have informal support networks through religious institutions and cultural organisations.
• Online therapy options (provided through the NHS or privately) allow you to access support from the privacy of your home.

Practical Steps for Wellbeing

• Stay connected with family and friends at home through regular video calls.
• Build a local social network. See our making friends guide.
• Exercise regularly — even walking in a local park helps.
• Maintain routines from your home country (food, celebrations, daily habits).
• Learn about your employment rights to reduce workplace stress.
• Manage visa costs and financial planning to reduce financial anxiety.

Next Steps

Samaritans answer on 116 123, free, at any hour. NHS 111 gives urgent advice at any hour. NHS Talking Therapies takes self-referrals in most areas, and a GP can refer you to specialist services. Anyone can register with a GP in England without proving their immigration status.

For more information, visit the GOV.UK mental health resources page and the NHS mental health hub.

Questions and answers