Can I refer myself without seeing my GP?

Yes. In England you can refer yourself directly to your local NHS Talking Therapies service online, without going through your GP first. Just search 'find NHS talking therapies' on the NHS website, enter your postcode, and follow the link to your local service to self-refer. The service will then contact you, talk through what would help, and tell you how long you may wait for your first session. Your GP can also refer you if you'd prefer.

Who is it for, and how much does it cost?

It's completely free. You can use it if you're aged 18 or over (16 or over in some areas) and registered with a GP — and in some areas you can self-refer even if you're not registered with a GP, so check your local service. You don't need to have a diagnosed mental health condition; getting support early, when difficulties first start, can stop them getting worse. It's open to anyone struggling with their mood, worry, stress or low feelings.

Free NHS therapy: how to self-refer

Q: What is NHS Talking Therapies?

NHS Talking Therapies (in England, formerly called IAPT) is a free, confidential NHS service that helps people with common mental health difficulties — mainly anxiety and depression, but also stress, panic, phobias, OCD and trauma. Most treatments are based on Cognitive Behavioural Therapy (CBT), which helps you change unhelpful patterns in how you think and feel, and support is available in person, by video, over the phone, or as an online course. You don't need a diagnosis to use it.

Q: How long will I wait?

For most people it's reasonably quick. The vast majority of patients start treatment within 6 weeks of being referred — recently around 88% accessed treatment within 6 weeks. After you self-refer, the service usually does a short assessment first to work out the right type of support for you, then offers your sessions. Waits vary by area, so your local service will give you a clearer idea once you've referred.

Q: What if I need help urgently?

NHS Talking Therapies is for ongoing support, not emergencies. If you're in crisis, or worried you might harm yourself, get help now: call NHS 111 and select the mental health option, contact your local NHS urgent mental health helpline, or in an emergency call 999. You can also talk to Samaritans free, day or night, on 116 123, or text SHOUT to 85258. You don't have to wait for an appointment to reach out — support is there right now.

What NHS Talking Therapies is

NHS Talking Therapies (in England, once known as IAPT) is a free, confidential NHS service for common mental health difficulties — mainly anxiety and depression, but also stress, panic, phobias, OCD and trauma. You don’t need a diagnosis to use it.

Most treatments are based on Cognitive Behavioural Therapy (CBT) — practical ways to ease unhelpful patterns in how you think and feel.
Support comes in the way that suits you: in person, by video, over the phone, or as an online course.
It also includes guided self-help and counselling depending on what you need.

You don’t have to be “bad enough” You don’t need a diagnosis, and you don’t have to be in crisis to qualify. Reaching out early, when things first start to feel hard, is exactly when support works best.

How to refer yourself — no GP needed

In England you can go straight to your local NHS Talking Therapies service and refer yourself online — you don’t need your GP to do it for you:

Search “find NHS talking therapies” on the NHS website (nhs.uk).
Enter your postcode to find your local service.
Follow the link to self-refer online — it takes a few minutes.

The service will then contact you, usually do a short assessment to work out the right support, and tell you how long you may wait. Your GP can also refer you if you’d prefer.

Not registered with a GP? You usually need to be registered with a GP, but in some areas you can self-refer even if you’re not — check your local service’s page. If you need to register, it’s free and quick: see register with a GP.

Who it’s for — and the wait

It’s open to most adults: you can use it if you’re 18 or over (16+ in some areas) and registered with a GP. It’s for anyone struggling with worry, stress, low mood or feeling overwhelmed — you don’t need a label for it.

And for most people it’s reasonably quick: the vast majority start treatment within 6 weeks of referring (recently around 88%). Waits vary by area, so your local service will give you a clearer picture once you’ve referred.

If you need help right now

This service isn’t for emergencies NHS Talking Therapies is for ongoing support, not a crisis. If you’re in crisis, or worried you might harm yourself, get help now: call NHS 111 and choose the mental health option, contact your local NHS urgent mental health helpline, or in an emergency call 999. You can talk to Samaritans free, day or night, on 116 123, or text SHOUT to 85258.

Do this now

If you can wait for ongoing support, search “find NHS talking therapies”, enter your postcode and self-refer today — it’s free and takes minutes. If things feel urgent, use the crisis numbers above first.

For more support of every kind, see the UK helpline directory, and if tonight feels like too much, there’s a calmer place to start.

Need support of any kind tonight? UK helpline directory →

Source verification Primary source: NHS — NHS Talking Therapies for anxiety and depression; NHS England · nhs.uk — find NHS Talking Therapies. Last verified 15 June 2026 (the free/confidential status, online self-referral without a GP, the 18+/16+ eligibility, the CBT-based treatments and the ~6-week / ~88% waiting-time figure web-checked against NHS.uk + NHS England). Confidence: High — NHS Talking Therapies (England, formerly IAPT) is a free, confidential service for anxiety, depression and related conditions, mostly CBT-based, delivered in person/video/phone/online; you can self-refer online without a GP referral (usually need to be registered with a GP, though some areas allow self-referral without registration); open to 18+ (16+ in some areas); no diagnosis required; most patients (recently ~88%) start treatment within 6 weeks of referral. It is not a crisis service — urgent help is via NHS 111 (mental health option), local urgent helplines or 999. Key facts: free + confidential · self-refer online via nhs.uk (no GP referral needed) · 18+ (16+ some areas), usually GP-registered · no diagnosis needed · CBT-based, in person/video/phone/online + guided self-help/counselling · ~88% start treatment within 6 weeks · NOT for emergencies → NHS 111 (mental health), 999, Samaritans 116 123, SHOUT 85258. Scope: England (Scotland, Wales & NI have their own mental health services). Information, not medical advice — if you're in crisis, use the urgent numbers above.

NHS Talking Therapies — common questions

What is NHS Talking Therapies?

A free, confidential NHS service (England) for common mental health difficulties — mainly anxiety and depression, plus stress, panic, phobias, OCD and trauma. It's mostly CBT-based and available in person, by video, by phone or as an online course. You don't need a diagnosis to use it.

Can I refer myself without a GP?

Yes — in England you can self-refer online to your local service without going through your GP. Search "find NHS talking therapies" on nhs.uk, enter your postcode and follow the link. The service then contacts you. Your GP can also refer you if you'd prefer.

Who is it for and what does it cost?

It's free. You can use it if you're 18+ (16+ in some areas) and registered with a GP — and some areas let you self-refer without being registered. You don't need a diagnosis; reaching out early helps most.

How long will I wait?

Most people start treatment within 6 weeks of referring (recently around 88%). The service usually does a short assessment first, then arranges your sessions. Waits vary by area.

What if I need help urgently?

This service isn't for emergencies. If you're in crisis or worried you might harm yourself, call NHS 111 and choose the mental health option, contact your local urgent mental health helpline, or call 999 in an emergency. Samaritans are free day or night on 116 123, or text SHOUT to 85258.

Sources: The free/confidential service, online self-referral without a GP, the eligibility, CBT-based treatments and the ~6-week waiting time · NHS — Find NHS Talking Therapies and NHS England. SortedUK is not a medical service and this is general information — if you're in crisis, use the urgent numbers in this guide. This is a sensitive topic; if you're struggling, support is available now. Last reviewed: 15 June 2026.

Struggling with anxiety or low mood? You can get free NHS therapy — yourself.