Giving Hope,
Improving Lives
Funding transformational research to provide a better future for everyone affected by mental health problems.
Donate NowAbout MHRUK
We are the first UK charity dedicated to raising funds for research into mental health conditions, including their causes, how they affect people, and possible treatments.
We are one of the few charities in the UK which gives at least 95% of all donations received to our charitable aim - in our case, research. If you support us, nearly every penny you give is helping to make a difference in the long term.
Investment in mental health research is small in comparison with the burden of illness, whether considered in terms of personal suffering or in terms of the burden on the economy as a whole. There are many mental health charities in the UK that support people with mental illness and those that care for them. Some of these charities also fund research, either carried out in-house or externally, but the amounts of money are relatively small. There is no equivalent of Cancer Research UK, The British Heart Foundation, or Diabetes UK to name just three of the major medical research charities in other disease areas.
Since 2008, we have invested £3.3 million in 33 PhD Scholarships within high-performing research teams at 12 different UK locations.
Our Values
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Innovation
We seek to fund innovative and excellent mental health research that will make a difference to people's lives.
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Inspiration
We want to fund research that gives hope to everyone personally affected by mental health problems and that enables researchers, commissioners, and policymakers to provide a better future for those affected by mental health problems.
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Inclusion
We welcome diverse perspectives and seek to ensure input into our work by drawing on a broad range of backgrounds and cultures.
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Integrity
We believe that integrity and trust are the foundation of our relationships with our donors, scholars, volunteers, supporters, and other organisations that we work with.
Scientific Committee
Scientific Committee members, with the academic Trustees (Professor Mike Owen, Professor Peter Jones and Dr Vanessa Pinfold) make up the Mental Health Research UK Awards Panel. The Panel (Chaired by Dr Vanessa Pinfold) carries out the whole process of awarding PhD Scholarships including shortlisting, suggesting academic referees and prioritising funding. Members of the Scientific Committee also advise on academic issues including the strategic direction of the charity and how we can maximise our impact on mental health research in the UK.
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