For too long, mental health has not been afforded the same priority, funding or resources as physical health. Across England, 1.6 million people are waiting for mental health treatment and far too often help depends on your postcode, not your need.

The Government said it is delivering record levels of investment in mental health services. Yet research by the Royal College of Psychiatrists finds almost a quarter of people are waiting more than 12 weeks to start treatment; 43% say long waits lead to their mental health getting worse; and 78% of mental health patients resort to A&E because they cannot access the services they need.

I believe mental and physical health should be put on an equal footing. We need a whole-Government plan to improve mental health outcomes, make early intervention a reality, and broaden the range of services to those with severe mental health illnesses.

I am pleased the Opposition has set out a plan to guarantee NHS mental health treatment within a month for all who need it. This will form part of a wider, transformative package that will see a radical expansion of the mental health workforce, ensure specialist mental health support in every school, and establish mental health hubs for young people in every community with no need for referral. And it is fully costed, by ending tax exemptions for private schools and closing tax loopholes for private equity fund managers.

On social security, I know that cutting benefits has a detrimental effect on mental health, particularly for the most vulnerable groups. I am therefore pleased that the Chancellor listened to the arguments made by mental health charities – including Rethink Mental Illness and Mind – and confirmed benefits will be uprated in line with inflation from April 2023. This is important, because this year, people on benefits experienced a real-terms cut.

More widely, we must ensure that mental health receives its fair share of funding to transform services and improve service quality for patients. These commitments form part of the Opposition’s wider strategy on prevention, early intervention and timely treatment.