10 Ways to Find Free or Cheap Therapy in the UK

Because if you have the specific words to Google, a whole new world can open up.

Money is tight for a lot of people right now.

And when you’re already struggling to make ends meet, the idea of paying £60+ a week for counselling can feel completely unrealistic.

But I want you to know that there are still ways you can access support, even if you think you can’t afford therapy.

So I’ve pulled together some of the options I normally recommend to people:

FREE

1. Check What’s Available Through Work

If you’re employed, see if your workplace has an Employee Assistance Programme (EAP) or private healthcare plan that offers free counselling. Usually they have little to no waiting lists.

You’ll probably find details on your company intranet site under “Wellbeing” or “Employee Benefits". Typically they will offer 6–8 free CBT or solution focussed sessions.

Why it’s worth trying: Six sessions can be a great stopgap if you need urgent support. It might even be enough to work through a specific challenge and learn some tools to manage it going forward.

2. Do a Quick Scan of the Free Psychotherapy Network

There are a lot of qualified counsellors in the UK who offer part of their work pro bono.

Find a therapist near you

They have also collated a brilliant list of low-cost services you can scour too.

3. If You’re Under 25 – Try The Mix

The Mix offers free counselling for anyone aged 13–25.

They’re not the only place to offer free counselling for young people too, try Googling:

“free youth counselling in <your county>”

You might find drop-in services or charities with shorter waits than CAMHS.

The charity YoungMinds also has some excellent resources for young people thinking about counselling and for parents who want to support them.

4. Black Minds Matter

Black Minds Matter UK connects Black individuals and families with free, culturally appropriate talking therapy. They offer 10 fully funded sessions with qualified Black therapists.

At the time of writing this, the waitlist is a few months long, but that’s still likely to be much shorter than the NHS wait, and it gives you the chance to work with a therapist who not only understands mental health, but also understands the weight of navigating a world shaped by racism and cultural bias.

5. If You're Grieving

Loss is one of the most common reasons people start counselling. Sometimes we get diagnosed with depression, when in reality we’re grieving.

And feeling deeply sad after losing someone is a completely natural response. It doesn’t mean you’re broken, it means you’re human. And it’s absolutely ok to get help while you’re going through it.

There are charities that offer free support depending on your situation:

• Cruse Bereavement Support – offers free one-to-one counselling for any type of bereavement.

• SOBS – (Survivors of Bereavement by Suicide) specialise in support for those bereaved by suicide.

• SANDS – offers incredible support after the loss of a baby.

They might have waiting lists as well, but not as long as the NHS and then you’ll be speaking with people who understand grief inside out, and that kind of real understanding can make all the difference.

LOW-COST

6. Google Search for Services Near You

When you know the right words to search, you can find options that you didn’t know existed. Look for "low-cost counselling services" that mention “sliding-scale fees” (which just means that you pay what you can afford).

A lot of community-based counselling services offer sessions from as little as £5–£25 per session and they won’t usually ask you to prove your earnings.

Try Googling:

“low-cost counselling sliding scale fees <your town or borough>”

7. Try a Therapist Training Institution

Counsellors in training (who are closely supervised) can be just as effective as qualified counsellors and a lot more affordable. Once you sign up, it’s usually about 10–12 weeks before your first counselling session.

Places I worked while I was training:

• In person (Ealing): Metanoia Counselling Service – £35, or low-income slots for £5 (daytime) / £12 (evening)

• Online: Headstrong Counselling – £25–£35

• Online: Choose Therapy – £36, or low-income slots for £18

  
  

Another great in-person option in Ealing is EACH Counselling, they also run culturally specific services, including gender-based violence support, Tamil community mental health support, and counselling for Black and Minority Ethnic women recovering from domestic abuse.

8. Use the Hub of Hope

hubofhope.co.uk is a national database of verified mental health services. Just pop in your postcode and it will list what’s available near you.

I’ve lost count of the times I’ve found out about brilliant local resources this way — and it's often places that people didn’t even know existed. Also, your local branch of Mind might offer low-cost counselling. Search for a service near you here.

The Hub of Hope is not just great for finding therapy either, it also lists peer support groups (often free ones) which can be a lifeline while you’re waiting for counselling. You might end up finding out that an Andy’s Man Club has been meeting every Monday at the bottom of your road for months and you never knew.

9. Ask at Your GP Practice Reception

Even if free counselling from the NHS has a long waiting list, GP surgeries can be another gateway to local low-cost services. They usually have leaflets in reception or can point you towards nearby charities. When I first started counselling, I found a local charity that way and it meant I could access in-person counselling that was only a short drive from where I lived at the time. Here's one in Uxbridge: Communicare Counselling Service 

10. Private Therapists on Official Directories

Private therapy isn’t always as expensive as it first looks. Counsellors will usually advertise their standard rate, but some also offer reduced rates. Check their website or profile to see if they mention "concessionary rates", and if you’re not sure, you can always contact them to ask what their concessionary rate is. Private counsellors often have shorter wait times, too.

To find a qualified therapist who is registered with a professional body, try:

• The British Association for Counselling and Psychotherapy (BACP)

• The Counselling Directory

• The UK Council for Psychotherapy (UKCP)

• The British Association for Behavioural & Cognitive Psychotherapies (BABCP) – for cognitive behavioural therapy (CBT)

• The Black, African and Asian Therapy Network (BAATN) – to find therapists from Black, African or Asian backgrounds

• The Muslim Counsellor and Psychotherapist Network - to find Muslim counsellors and psychotherapists

• Pink Therapy – for therapists with experience working with LGBTQ+ people

• The British Association of Art Therapists (BAAT) - for accredited art therapists

Counselling with Me

If you’ve read through this list and nothing else quite feels right, you’re always welcome to reach out to me.

I’m a qualified counsellor, and I have 5 low-cost spaces because I’m passionate about making my services accessible. At the time of writing this, all my low-cost spaces are full, but if you’d like to, you can contact me to go on the waiting list and then I'll let you know as soon as a space opens up. I’d also really welcome you to book a free 20-minute intro call with me. We could use the time to see if I’d be a good fit for you, or to talk about other options I could recommend that might help you in the meantime.

Sometimes the hardest part is starting somewhere. Whether you follow one of the steps in this list, or we explore things together, the most important thing is finding support that feels right for you.

If you’re looking for gentle, inclusive support, not to be managed, slowed down, or asked to be anyone other than who you actually are...

Book a free 20-minute intro Zoom