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Mental health charities in the UK — how to compare before you donate

In short: Mental health giving splits between crisis helplines, community services and campaigning. There is no single best mental health charity — match the model, then compare Clarity Scores and cause spend on CharityCompare.

Data from CharityCompare editorial, last updated .

What mental health charities do

“Mental health” covers 24-hour listening lines, local talking therapies, peer support, research, and public campaigning. A national brand and a city Mind network member can share a name-style and still do different jobs. Check that the activities match what you want funded.

Which mental health charity is best to donate to?

No single charity wins for every donor. Use this order:

  1. Check the charity number.
  2. Pick a model — crisis line, services, campaigning, or a condition-specific group.
  3. Compare filings on CharityCompare.
  4. Read how to compare charities.

Head-to-head starting point

Torn between two household names? Open Mind vs Samaritans.

Efficiency and overheads

Helplines and campaigning spend money differently from clinical services. Use cause spend in context — not the lowest admin slogan. See charity admin costs UK.

Browse

This page is how to choose within the cause. The rated list is /browse/mental-health. Disease-specific hubs live under /charities.