The announcement of Northern Ireland's 2027 to 2028 Core Grant funding scheme is welcome but highlights the need for a confirmed budget settlement that enables urgently needed investment to secure the future of vital community-based counselling services.

The Department of Health has announced £1.8 million in funding to help voluntary and community organisations meet their core operating costs, with eligible organisations able to apply for grants of between £5,000 and £50,000.

The scheme includes £450,000 specifically allocated to improving mental health and wellbeing, offering an important opportunity for eligible third sector counselling organisations across Northern Ireland.

However, while any investment which harnesses the expertise of the voluntary and community sector is welcome, we'd like to see more ambition to help ensure these vital services receive truly sustainable support.

Recent report highlights growing financial pressures

Our recent report, An Unstable Partnership, highlights the growing financial pressures facing third sector counselling services and the urgent need for more sustainable funding arrangements.

Drawing on evidence from 119 counselling organisations across the UK, our research found that:

  • 79% receive referrals or signposting from GPs or NHS services
  • 86% are operating at or beyond capacity
  • Only 17% believe they have sufficient funding to meet current demand
  • 43% receive no statutory funding at all.

Services in Northern Ireland highlighted the lack of public funding as a core challenge in our survey. One service told us, "We're one of the largest providers of counselling in Northern Ireland, with many statutory services using us as a referral pathway without the formalised agreement and remuneration."

Reliance on community-based counselling organisations 

These findings demonstrate how community-based counselling organisations are increasingly relied upon to meet growing mental health needs, often without the secure funding needed to sustain their services.

While the Core Grant scheme provides welcome support for essential organisational core costs, there remain gaps in the ability for organisations to fund service delivery. Its short-term annual funding arrangements also underline the wider challenge of financial uncertainty facing the sector.

Build on this investment

While we recognise the ongoing fiscal challenges facing Northern Ireland, BACP would like to see the Northern Ireland Executive and Department of Health build on this investment by working towards more sustainable, longer-term funding and commissioning arrangements that recognise the vital contribution of third sector counselling services.

Such investment will help strengthen partnerships between statutory and voluntary services, protect existing provision and improve access to timely counselling support.

Applications for the 2027 to 2028 Core Grant scheme close at 12 noon on Friday 20 November 2026.