UKCP attendance at Reform UK's Party Conference

This past weekend we attended the Reform UK Party Conference as part of our strategy to engage with all five major UK parties this conference season – Reform UK, the Liberal Democrats, Labour, the Green Party and the Conservatives. Our aim, as with all party conferences, is to advocate for psychotherapy and the interests of our members and the public. As an organisation, UKCP looks to engage with political stakeholders to shape the policy landscape and further our values.

The purpose of attending these conferences is to gain further intelligence on the political landscape, get a better understanding of what motivates and drives each party and, crucially, to understand the direction of policy proposals that affect our members and the mental wellbeing of the public.  

Attendance at these conferences does not signify any support or association with any party. Colleagues from across the sector have been, and will be, engaging as broadly as we are.

Fringe discussions at this conference focused heavily on welfare, unemployment and taxation. UKCP's recent policy work has, and will continue to, advocate for compassion and fairness in our health and welfare system for people living with mental health conditions. We must engage with those who make or have influence over policy decisions in the UK to ensure that psychotherapy is readily available in the NHS for everyone, so that they can thrive, regardless of their ability to work.

We are concerned by many of the conversations and policy directions being advocated at the conference. Reform UK's economic spokesperson Robert Jenrick MP and others appeared to be discussing proposals around significantly raising the threshold for mental health-related state support and reducing Personal Independence Payment (PIP). These ideas are not yet fully formed. However, we will consistently and robustly challenge any policies that would remove or reduce support for people with mental health conditions. It is essential that organisations like UKCP are part of the conversation, to ensure the realities of our members and their clients are represented in the formation of any policy.

UKCP continues to be a part of conversations and initiatives across the sector on inclusion, anti-oppressive practice and diversity within the counselling, psychotherapy and psychological therapy professions.

People living with mental health conditions deserve dignity, appropriate support and access to high-quality care. Any change to the welfare system must be grounded in evidence, compassion and a genuine understanding of the impact of mental health on people's lives and their ability to work.

We will continue to engage with policymakers across all parties to make that case.

Next, we head to the Liberal Democrat Party Conference in Brighton to continue to make the case for psychotherapy.  

We understand concerns around UKCP's attendance. Your thoughts and opinions are important to shaping our strategies going forward. You can share your views by: 

• contacting your members forum rep or by attending a members forum meeting
• raising a complaint via our complaints about UKCP page 
• contacting us directly.