Mental health claims have more than doubled in a five year period, according to new data published by the health insurer Vitality.
Its claims data shows that between 2019 and 2024 mental health claims rates rose by 119 per cent. The biggest increases were in claims for anxiety disorder and depression, which were up by 68 per cent and 53 per cent respectively over this period.
The insurer says many of these claims have arisen from people seeking support via talking therapies, which includes treatments such as cognitive behavioural therapy (CBT) and counselling, and is used for a range of mental health conditions. It says over this five year period talking therapy claims rates increased by 167 per cent.
However the data also shows a correlation between the increase in talking therapies claims rates and a decrease in more serious in-patient / day-patient claims rates, which declined 41 per cent, and out-patient mental health claims rates which declined 17 per cent.
Vitality adds that in the last year it was younger people who utilised talking therapy benefits the most, with claims rates being highest for people aged 30 to 39, followed by those under 30.
This trend reflects a broader cultural shift. Statistics from NHS England show that one in five people aged 8–25 had a ‘probable’ mental disorder in 2023, with rates highest among 17–19-year-olds.
VitalityHealth CEO Arun Thiyagarajan says: “At Vitality, we’ve seen a significant rise in mental health claims, which is why we’ve invested in a comprehensive support pathway that includes access to Talking Therapies, app-based tools like Headspace and Wysa, all of which work to help remove barriers to care.
“Our insights, which reflect wider societal trends, highlight that mental health support is no longer a nice to have – it’s a central part of how people engage with their health insurance.
“What’s particularly striking is how younger people are leading this shift, they’re showing us what the future of healthcare looks like: proactive, personalised, and deeply attuned to mental wellbeing.”