Lancashire mental health charities at "breaking point"
A Blackpool mental health charity says it is reaching breaking point as it struggles to meet soaring demand.
Last updated 28th May 2025
A Blackpool mental health charity says it is reaching breaking point as it struggles to meet soaring demand despite handling dozens of referrals every week.
Counselling in the Community, who support people along the Fylde Coast, provides free and low-cost therapy to individuals in crisis, many of whom are referred through local health and support networks.
But with no core funding and rising operational pressures, the charity says it is becoming increasingly difficult to sustain its work.
Stuart Hutton-Brown set up the charity eight years ago, he says: "We’re holding up a vital part of the community’s mental health support system, but we’re doing it with limited resources and no safety net,”
"We work with people that are actively suicidal or actively self harming or injuring. It's a lifeline in the community."
In an open letter to MPs, Hutton-Brown raised concerns about the lack of investment in third-sector mental health services, especially when compared to the outsourcing of other medical services such as physiotherapy and hearing tests to private providers.
The charity say mental health charities require some form of central funding for the support they provide as currently they have to rely on donations to shoulder the full cost of care.
"We know that the NHS waiting lists are long. We're being told that by the people that are coming to us who are waiting to to access the therapy through them, where would they go if it wasn't for us right now.
"It's a massive concern if we're being sent people now, what would happen if that 150 people a week had to go back to an NHS referral, it'd be catastrophic."
The charity estimates that the value of its weekly therapy sessions would exceed £3,700 if charged at standard rates—yet it continues to operate on donations, volunteer support, and small grants.
Hutton-Brown says the organisation plays a crucial role in preventing mental health crises from escalating, helping to reduce pressure on emergency services, GPs, and hospitals.
“We’re not just helping individuals—we’re helping the whole system by stepping in early and offering consistent, compassionate care,” he said.
The charity is calling for greater recognition of the third sector’s role in public health and is urging local leaders to explore more sustainable partnership models.
“We’re committed to this work, but we can’t do it alone. If we want a healthier, more resilient community, we need to invest in the services that are already making a difference.”