The number of people in contact with NHS mental health services in England has increased in the last year.

During 2021-22, 3,256,695 people were in contact with NHS-funded secondary mental health, learning disabilities and autism services which is a 16 percent increase on previous years with 2,803,244 in 2020-21 and 2,878,636 in 2019-20.

This means that 5.8 percent of people in England were known to be in contact with those services during the year.

This is compared to 5.0 percent of people in 2020-21 and 5.1 percent of people in 2019-20.

A person in contact is someone who has an open referral with secondary mental health, learning disabilities and autism services this includes where referrals did not result in an attendance with a service or treatment being received.

Published by NHS Digital, the Mental Health Bulletin, 2021-22 Annual report also includes breakdowns by age, gender, ethnicity and deprivation.

The number of under 18-year-olds in contact with NHS mental health services in England increased by 29.2 percent in the last year to 992,647 in 2021-22 up from 768,083 in 2020-21 and 763,888 in 2019-20.

Figures show that 18.2 percent of the country’s 16-year-olds (114,203) and 16.6 percent of the country’s 17-year-olds (101,694) were in contact with NHS mental health services.

16-year-old girls are most likely to be in contact with NHS mental health services – with 22.8 percent of the population (69,580) having been in contact with these services during 2021-22.