Wellbeing and Mental Health Support for Global Professionals in the UK is increasingly important as the UK scales up its global talent ambitions. In June 2025, the UK Government launched a new Global Talent Taskforce and committed £54 million to attract world-leading researchers and innovators. As more highly skilled individuals relocate to the UK, questions around mental health support, integration, and access to wellbeing services are more relevant than ever — especially for those navigating life far from home.
If you hold or are applying for a Global Talent visa, you are bringing talent, creativity, and innovation to the UK. But settling into a new country, building a professional life, and managing personal wellbeing can bring passion and pressure. This guide explores the mental health landscape for global professionals, where to find support in 2025, and how to navigate UK systems effectively.
Why Wellbeing Matters for Global Talent?
Moving to a new country under the Global Talent scheme is a big achievement, but it’s not without challenges. Highly skilled migrants may face:
- Isolation and disconnection: Being far from family, friends, and familiar cultural supports can intensify feelings of loneliness.
- High-performance pressure: The expectation to excel in research, tech, or creative fields can raise stress and anxiety levels.
- Navigating new healthcare systems: Understanding how to access mental health services in the UK can feel unfamiliar, especially if your home country’s systems differ greatly.
- Visa-related stress: Uncertainty around visa renewal, settlement (indefinite leave), or navigating immigration bureaucracy can take a toll on mental health.
Addressing wellbeing isn’t just a personal issue; it’s about enabling talent to thrive, contribute, and feel supported in the UK.
NHS Mental Health Services
One of the most trusted and accessible avenues for mental health support is the NHS. Here’s how global professionals can tap into NHS services:
How to Access NHS Mental Health Support?
- You can speak to your GP: A GP (General Practitioner) serves as a gateway for mental health services. They can make referrals to talking therapies or specialist support.
- Self-referral is possible for certain NHS services, particularly “Talking Therapies” (also known as IAPT, Improving Access to Psychological Therapies), where you don’t always need a GP referral.
- NHS Talking Therapies provides free, evidence-based psychological treatments for anxiety and depression via trained practitioners, either face-to-face or remotely.
Considerations for Migrants
- As a Global Talent visa holder, you are likely paying the Immigration Health Charge (IHC). According to the Global Talent visa guidance, you must pay the correct IHC for the duration of your leave.
- Once you’ve paid, you are generally eligible to use NHS services similarly to UK residents.
- However, navigating NHS mental health services can be different from what you’re used to — appointment waiting times, referral pathways, or therapeutic models may not feel familiar.
Specialist Mental Health Resources for Migrants
Beyond the NHS, there are several government-backed and non-governmental initiatives aimed at supporting migrants’ mental health, including asylum seekers, refugees, and global professionals:
Home Office Mental Health Workstreams
The Home Office Asylum Mental Health & Wellbeing Team publishes workstreams, tools, and case studies focused on mental health support for people with migration backgrounds. Notably:
- The Global Mental Health Assessment Tool (GMHAT): This computer-assisted tool supports early mental health assessment and can be used by non-specialist healthcare workers to identify needs.
- Mind-Spring programme: A trauma-informed psychoeducational group course, delivered in the first language of participants, helps build peer networks and coping strategies.
- Solace e-learning: Six-module online training for professionals to better understand asylum seekers’ mental health needs, offering a foundation for culturally sensitive support.
These resources may be more directly relevant to those with asylum or refugee backgrounds, but they also highlight the growing infrastructure to support migrant mental wellbeing across the UK.
Peer Support & Expat Networks
Wellbeing isn’t only about professional therapy: peer networks, community groups, and social connection play a huge role — especially for migrants. While there’s no single government-run “global talent mental health network,” global professionals can tap into:
- Local expat and professional communities: Universities, research institutes, and tech companies often host networks for international staff, including wellbeing and mentoring groups.
- Charities and third-sector organisations: Many UK mental health charities (e.g. Mind, Rethink, AMHP) welcome global professionals and provide guidance or peer support.
- Employer-based initiatives: Some employers, especially academic or tech institutions, run well-being programmes — Employee Assistance Programmes (EAPs), peer mentoring, or in-house mental health first-aiders.
University-Based Mental Health Support
Many global talent visa holders work in academia or research. Universities in the UK are increasingly aware that international staff and doctoral fellows need dedicated well-being support:
- Universities often offer counselling and mental health services tailored to their international community, including language support, cross-cultural counselling, and referrals to external services.
- Wellbeing programmes: Workshops, peer networks, and pastoral care systems are routinely available through postgraduate offices or international offices.
- Peer mentoring: Many institutions match new international scholars with experienced academics or students who can provide social and emotional guidance.
Best Practices for Global Professionals to Maintain Well-being
To make the most of the available support, here are some practical tips:
- Register with a GP early
As soon as you land in the UK, register with a local GP. This opens the door to NHS mental health services and ensures you have a primary point of contact for referrals. - Familiarise yourself with NHS Talking Therapies
Look into IAPT (Talking Therapies) services in your area, understand how self-referral works, and consider attending a session or workshop. - Build your support network
Join professional or expat groups, university networks, or peer communities. Connecting with people who share your migration and career journey can ease isolation. - Access employer or university wellbeing resources
Ask your HR or international office about counselling, mentoring, and wellness programmes. Make use of Employee Assistance Programmes or cultural support services. - Use digital and self-help tools
Consider apps, online courses, or group programmes (like Mind-Spring) if you prefer starting with self-paced support. - Reach out for crisis support when needed
For urgent mental health support, use NHS crisis services or local mental health helplines. Don’t wait until things escalate.
Addressing Stigma & Cultural Considerations
Mental health stigma can be a significant barrier for global professionals, particularly those from cultures where mental illness is highly taboo. Here’s how to navigate it:
- Be proactive about normalising mental health conversations in your workplace or department. Mentors, managers, and peers can help.
- Encourage cultural competence within institutions: ask for or help initiate training on mental health that respects diverse backgrounds.
- Share your experience: if you are comfortable, talking about mental health can help others feel less alone.
- Use translated or culturally sensitive resources: many services (especially for asylum seekers) offer mental health materials in multiple languages.
Challenges & Gaps
While the UK has a strong infrastructure, there remain some gaps in mental health support for global professionals:
- Long waiting times: NHS mental health services often have long waits — even for talking therapies.
- Cultural and linguistic barriers: Not all mental health services are equipped to meet the nuanced needs of highly skilled international migrants.
- Lack of dedicated Global Talent-specific support: Unlike international students, global professionals may not always have access to tailored mental health programmes.
- Sustainability of funding: Research and peer-support initiatives rely in part on project funding; sustained support is needed as the global talent pipeline grows.
Conclusion!
For global professionals building their careers in the UK, wellbeing is just as important as ambition, and creating space for your mental and emotional balance can make every step of your journey more meaningful. The landscape of support available continues to grow, and the most valuable thing you can do is stay open to the tools, communities, and conversations that help you feel grounded. As you settle in, take your time, stay connected, and remember that looking after yourself is part of thriving here.
And if you’d like steady guidance, stories, and support along the way, make sure you follow Global Talent Mag — your companion for navigating life, work, and wellbeing in the UK as a global professional.
