# NHS Talking Therapies: how to self-refer in England https://www.med-easy.co.uk/guides/nhs-talking-therapies-self-referral/ Publisher: Med Easy Source material checked: 2026-10-20 Editorial information; no registered-clinician review is claimed. General UK healthcare information. Country-specific rules and provider examples retain the limits stated in the text. Fees are dated examples, not live quotes. ## Short answer In England, NHS Talking Therapies allows eligible people to refer themselves for anxiety and depression support without a GP referral. The service is free; a diagnosis is not required to enquire. Find the local service, check its age and GP-registration rules, and save the referral confirmation so you can follow up the next step. In England, you can contact NHS Talking Therapies for anxiety and depression yourself. The service is free, and you do not need an existing diagnosis to ask for help. A referral starts a conversation about the support that fits your needs. ## Key points - Use the official local service route and describe the effect on everyday life in your own words. You do not need to decide the diagnosis or select the therapy before asking for help. - Ask whether the first contact is an assessment and how later support is arranged. A referral acknowledgement, an assessment date and a treatment appointment are different milestones. - Discuss privacy, language and access needs early. A remote appointment is useful only if you can use the format and speak in a setting that works for you. ## Who can use the self-referral route? The NHS says you must be registered with a GP and usually be at least 18; some areas accept people from 16. You do not need your GP to make the referral. Talking Therapies covers anxiety and depression and related difficulties, but it is not the route for every mental health need. A GP can help if you are unsure which service to approach. Check NHS eligibility and the service finder . Use this as an access decision, not a test you have to pass alone. If you have spent weeks wondering whether your concern is “serious enough”, describe what is happening and let the service explain its assessment process. You do not have to arrive with a polished account or a preferred therapy. Section link: https://www.med-easy.co.uk/guides/nhs-talking-therapies-self-referral/#who-can-use-the-self-referral-route - [Check NHS eligibility and the service finder](https://www.nhs.uk/tests-and-treatments/talking-therapies/) ## Make a referral you can follow up Find the local service through the NHS directory and use its own referral instructions. Before entering personal information, check that the page belongs to the service you intended to contact. NHS England explains the referral routes . Set aside a private moment to complete the form or call. Describe the concern in your own words and how it affects everyday life. Give contact details that the service can safely use. Save the confirmation or reference number. Note what the service says will happen next and how to follow up. If speaking during work hours is difficult, include that in your enquiry. If messages must be discreet or you share a telephone, ask about contact arrangements. A useful application is one the service can respond to and you can keep track of. Section link: https://www.med-easy.co.uk/guides/nhs-talking-therapies-self-referral/#make-a-referral-you-can-follow-up - [NHS England explains the referral routes](https://www.england.nhs.uk/mental-health/adults/nhs-talking-therapies/) ## Ask what the first conversation will cover Prepare a few examples of what you want to change: attending work, managing worry, getting through social situations or making daily decisions. Mention previous support and what you found helpful or difficult. These are discussion notes, not a requirement to justify yourself. Ask whether the first appointment is an assessment or the start of therapy. Before it ends, try to establish the proposed next step, who will contact you and how you can ask questions. If the service suggests a different route, ask for its name and whether you need to make another referral yourself. Section link: https://www.med-easy.co.uk/guides/nhs-talking-therapies-self-referral/#ask-what-the-first-conversation-will-cover ## Understand the format before agreeing NHS Talking Therapies can involve supported self-help, individual appointments or groups, delivered in person or remotely. NHS England says language support can include multilingual therapists and confidential interpreters. Discuss communication or accessibility needs with the local service. Read about formats and language support . Consider the practical fit: privacy for a video call, travel, hearing or visual access, caring responsibilities and time between appointments. Ask how much choice you have. If a proposed format feels difficult, explain the specific obstacle so the service can discuss options rather than assuming you are declining help. Section link: https://www.med-easy.co.uk/guides/nhs-talking-therapies-self-referral/#understand-the-format-before-agreeing - [Read about formats and language support](https://www.england.nhs.uk/mental-health/adults/nhs-talking-therapies/) ## Waiting, other support and service boundaries Ask for the current local estimate for assessment and treatment separately. Keep a note of when to follow up if you hear nothing. An estimated wait is useful for planning but should not be presented as a guaranteed appointment date. Routine self-referral is not an emergency response. Ask the service how to seek appropriate help if your needs change while waiting. NHS mental health care includes routes beyond Talking Therapies; the NHS access guide explains where a GP referral may be needed. Our healthcare information hub and care finder bring these starting points together. If you need a GP first, read how to register . Outside England, use the four-nations guide to locate the relevant NHS system. Section link: https://www.med-easy.co.uk/guides/nhs-talking-therapies-self-referral/#waiting-other-support-and-service-boundaries - [the NHS access guide](https://www.nhs.uk/mental-health/social-care-and-your-rights/how-to-access-mental-health-services/) - [healthcare information hub](https://www.med-easy.co.uk/healthcare-information/) - [care finder](https://www.med-easy.co.uk/find-care/) - [how to register](https://www.med-easy.co.uk/guides/register-with-a-gp/) - [four-nations guide](https://www.med-easy.co.uk/guides/uk-healthcare-four-nations/) ## Questions to ask - Does this local service cover my GP registration and age, including any local access route for younger people? - Have I used the service’s own self-referral instructions and saved the submission date or confirmation? - Can the team safely contact me using the details given, including whether voicemail or shared devices create difficulties? - Is the next appointment an assessment or a treatment session, and what should I expect it to cover? - What are the current estimates for assessment and treatment separately, and when should I follow up if I hear nothing? ## Frequently asked questions ### Do I need an anxiety or depression diagnosis before self-referring? No existing diagnosis is needed to ask for help through this route. Describe what you are experiencing and how it affects daily activities. The service assesses the appropriate support and may explain another route if needed. Check the local eligibility requirements rather than trying to diagnose yourself before completing the referral. https://www.med-easy.co.uk/guides/nhs-talking-therapies-self-referral/#faq-1 ### Can I ask about interpreters or a different appointment format? Yes. Tell the service what would help you participate, including language, hearing, visual or practical access needs. NHS England describes language support within Talking Therapies. Ask what the local service can arrange and how it will confirm those arrangements, rather than assuming every appointment format is available automatically. https://www.med-easy.co.uk/guides/nhs-talking-therapies-self-referral/#faq-2 ### What if I do not hear back after submitting the form? Use the confirmation or reference and contact the service through its published route. Ask whether the referral was received, what stage it has reached and when to enquire again. If your needs change while waiting, seek appropriate advice from your care team; a routine referral tracker is not a clinical assessment. https://www.med-easy.co.uk/guides/nhs-talking-therapies-self-referral/#faq-3 ## Sources - [NHS: talking therapies and self-referral](https://www.nhs.uk/tests-and-treatments/talking-therapies/) — NHS or public authority - [NHS England: NHS Talking Therapies for anxiety and depression](https://www.england.nhs.uk/mental-health/adults/nhs-talking-therapies/) — NHS or public authority - [NHS: accessing mental health services](https://www.nhs.uk/mental-health/social-care-and-your-rights/how-to-access-mental-health-services/) — NHS or public authority ## Related guides - https://www.med-easy.co.uk/guides/register-with-a-gp/ - https://www.med-easy.co.uk/guides/accessible-appointments-and-interpreters/ - https://www.med-easy.co.uk/guides/nhs-referrals-waiting-lists/