Hestia, the charity supporting people across London and the South East through crisis and trauma, today launches its 2025 London Mental Health Index, revealing a concerning rise in poor mental health across the capital, with an estimated 4.2 million Londoners* affected.

The survey of 2000 Londoners found that 58% of adults reported experiencing three or more symptoms of poor mental health in the past year, up from 49% in 2024.

40% of Londoners felt nervous, anxious or on edge, up from 36% in 2024 and 39% reported feeling overwhelmed, up from 35%. Mental health struggles are most acute among young people (65%) and women (62% vs 54% of males).

This year, the Index also explored the impact of employment and job satisfaction on wellbeing. Two-thirds of unemployed Londoners said their mental health was negatively affected by being out of work. Among those in employment, 64% of workers who were dissatisfied with their jobs reported that their mental health had suffered as a result.

Mina** who has used a Hestia crisis support service said:

“I could feel my mental health gradually deteriorating. Things finally reached breaking point for me when I experienced an unfair incident at my work. I knew about a local Crisis Café that I could visit and receive support from, without an appointment.

“They really supported me to emotionally process my work-related stress and explore how reconnecting with my own passions could support my mental wellbeing. With a new outlook, I found my resilience develop and I was able to tackle work situations that I would have found overwhelming in the past.”

In response to the findings, Hestia is calling for urgent, cross-sector support to improve Londoners’ mental health. The charity is urging action to:

Provide high-quality, accessible crisis support in every community.
Remove barriers to employment and support good employment.
Break the link between financial pressures and mental health.
Patrick Ryan, Chief Executive of Hestia, said:

“Our Mental Health Index findings are a wake-up call. If we want a fairer Britain where everyone has the chance to live well, we must come together to ensure that every person – regardless of age, gender, income or job status – has a sense of safety, hope and purpose and an opportunity to thrive.

“We welcome the government’s ambition to ‘Get Britain Working’, but this lasting economic recovery is only possible if we take a ‘mental health first’ approach. That means investing in crisis support, promoting good employment, and addressing the root causes of poor mental health, such as financial strain and isolation.”