Is there a demand for Counsellors in the UK?

The demand for counsellors in the UK has been steadily rising over the past few years. With increased awareness around mental health and wellbeing, more people are seeking professional support for issues like anxiety, depression, addiction, relationship problems, and trauma. But is there enough demand to sustain a growing counselling workforce? Let’s explore the statistics.

The Rising Demand

According to the British Association for Counselling and Psychotherapy (BACP), the number of counsellors and psychotherapists in the UK has increased by 16% over the past decade. There are now over 60,000 registered counselling professionals working in the field. This growth mirrors the increasing demand for counselling services. Some key statistics on the rising demand include:

• The number of adults seeking counselling each year has increased from 2.9 million in 2007 to over 4 million in 2017.
• Calls and requests to counselling service Relate have risen by 40% since 2012.
• Demand for NHS counselling services rose by 9% between 2016 to 2017.
• Almost 1 in 4 people in the UK are now likely to experience a mental health issue each year.

With mental health problems on the rise, it’s no surprise more people are turning to counselling for support. BACP data shows around two-thirds of counsellors saw an increase in demand over the past two years.

Demand from Employers

It’s not just individuals seeking counselling support. A growing number of employers are investing in workplace counselling services for their staff. Research by the Chartered Institute of Personnel and Development (CIPD) found:

• 61% of employers already provide access to counselling services.
• A further 19% are planning to introduce counselling services in the future.
• The most common reasons for providing counselling were to reduce staff absence, improve employee wellbeing, and increase performance and productivity.

With many companies recognising the benefits of counselling, demand from employers is clearly rising.

Demand from Schools & Universities

There has also been an upsurge in demand for counselling and mental health support services in education settings. Some key statistics include:

• 94% of universities provide some level of counselling service.
• On average, 1 in 4 students use university counselling services.
• Counselling demand in universities has risen by over 5% each year since 2012.
• Over 75% of further education colleges offer counselling support.
• 83% of secondary schools and 60% of primary schools now provide counselling for pupils.

With growing awareness and efforts to support student mental health, demand for counsellors in education is clearly substantial and increasing.

Shortages in Supply

Despite the growing demand, there are concerns over shortages in the supply of counsellors and therapists. Vacancy rates for counselling roles are high, indicating an imbalance between demand and availability of professionals. Some concerning statistics include:

• BACP vacancy data shows over 2,000 counsellor vacancies in the first half of 2019 alone.
• 62% of counselling employers have struggled to fill vacancies.
• The average time to fill a counselling vacancy is now over 3 months.
• NHS England reports over 25% of counselling roles were vacant between 2017-2019.

With demand rising faster than the supply of qualified counsellors, there are real risks of gaps in mental health provision unless more counselling professionals can be trained.

This table illustrates how the number of counsellors has not kept pace with the rising demand for services over the past decade. The supply shortage is only likely to widen unless action is taken.

Demand from Private Clients

Alongside public services, demand for private counselling and therapy is also rising strongly. Private medical insurance (PMI) data shows:

• The number of PMI claims for mental health counselling rose by over 30% between 2014 to 2018.
• Counselling claims now account for 46% of all private mental health treatment claims.
• An average of £950 was paid out per PMI claimant for counselling services in 2018.

With more people able to access therapy through workplace or personal insurance policies, demand for privately practicing counsellors also looks set to grow.

Geographic Disparities

While demand for counselling is rising across the UK, there are geographical gaps in provision. A 2019 BACP workforce survey found:

• The South East, London, and East of England have the most counsellors per capita.
• The North East, Yorkshire, Scotland and Northern Ireland have the greatest shortages proportional to population.
• Rural areas tend to have poorer counselling access than urban regions.

Targeted recruitment and training initiatives may be needed to boost counsellor numbers in underserved areas and countries.

Key Sectors

Looking at key sectors, current statistics point to where demand is highest:

• Private Practice – 29% of counsellors work independently or in private clinics.
• Health Services – 19% of counsellors work in the NHS or public health services.
• Schools & Education – 18% of counsellors work in schools, colleges or universities.
• Workplace Counselling – 12% of counsellors work in workplace/employee counselling services.
• Charities – 8% of counsellors work for charitable organisations and helplines.

Demand is clearly spread across a range of settings from public sector services to commercial organisations.

Age Demographics

Considering age demographics, key target groups for counselling include:

• 16-24 year olds – 1 in 4 have a mental health condition. Counselling demand is high from colleges, universities and youth services.
• Working age adults – Almost 1 in 5 adults aged 24-65 experience mental health issues. Workplace counselling demand is rising.
• Older adults – Depression affects 22% of men and 28% of women over 65. Bereavement counselling needs increase.

Tailoring counselling services and marketing to these age groups could help address population needs.

Presenting Issues

Looking at common presenting issues, the leading reasons people seek counselling include:

• Anxiety
• Depression
• Stress
• Grief and loss
• Relationship problems
• Anger issues
• Addiction and substance abuse
• Low self-esteem
• Life changes and transitions

Counsellors skilled in these areas are likely to be in highest demand across the UK.

Growth Forecasts

Industry reports forecast continued strong growth in demand for counselling services over the next 5-10 years. For example:

• The healthcare market research firm LaingBuisson predicts up to 8% annual growth in counselling over the next 3 years.
• The Education Policy Institute estimates an extra 8,000 counsellors will be required in schools and colleges by 2024 to meet rising demand.
• By 2030, mental health charity Mind estimates an additional 200,000 posts may be needed in the mental health workforce, including counselling roles.

With demand projected to keep rising substantially, the counselling profession looks set to grow over the coming decade.

Meeting Rising Demand

To meet rising demand, a multi-pronged approach will be needed to expand counselling capacity in the UK:

• Increasing undergraduate and postgraduate training places for counsellors and therapists.
• Flexible entry routes to attract more mature entrants and career changers.
• Apprenticeship schemes to develop on-the-job counselling skills.
• More CPD training to upskill existing practitioners.
• Initiatives to improve retention and reduce burnout.
• Funding support for voluntary sector counselling.
• Promoting counselling to young people as a career path.

With sufficient training, recruitment and progression support for counsellors, the profession can rise to meet escalating mental health needs across the country.

Conclusion

In conclusion, current statistics and trends clearly point to rising demand for counselling services across multiple sectors and age groups in the UK. With mental health needs increasing, but gaps in counsellor supply, there is strong evidence of substantial unmet demand. The counselling profession looks set for further growth if it can attract and skill up enough new entrants to meet escalating population needs. Targeted initiatives around training, recruitment and retention will be key to building workforce capacity. But with good support, a career in counselling promises increasing opportunities over the years ahead.