Antidepressant Prescriptions in England: A Growing Concern
Every 0.3 seconds, someone in England is prescribed an antidepressant. This is the reality uncovered by new research from YuLife, an all-in-one employee benefit solution provider, based on NHS England prescribing and cost data. Between March 2020 and March 2025, more than 428 million antidepressants were issued nationwide. In 2024 alone, over 91 million prescriptions were dispensed, marking the highest annual total on record.
In light of this, YuLife analyzed five years of NHS England prescribing and cost data to understand the nation’s increasing reliance on antidepressants.
Average Annual Prescriptions and Costs by English Region (2020–2025)
The following table outlines the average annual prescriptions and costs for each English region:
| Region | Avg. Annual Prescriptions | Avg. Annual Cost |
| North West | 1,139,339 | £3,107,555.55 |
| South East | 1,072,699 | £3,692,785.44 |
| East of England | 869,168 | £2,427,344.88 |
| Yorkshire & Humber | 732,861 | £1,873,618.28 |
| West Midlands | 697,333 | £2,061,384.84 |
| East Midlands | 678,352 | £1,813,023.43 |
| South West | 649,012 | £1,929,299.67 |
| London | 637,439 | £1,786,723.56 |
| North East | 556,797 | £1,433,253.22 |
The North West recorded the highest average annual prescriptions at over 1.13 million per year, while also being among the regions with the highest overall populations. The South East followed closely behind in volume but recorded the highest annual cost, over £3.6 million, despite prescribing fewer items, which suggests higher per-item costs. By contrast, the North East had the lowest volume and cost, with just over 550,000 prescriptions per year on average, and a total cost of £1.4 million annually.
NHS Bodies with Highest and Lowest Prescriptions (2020–2025)
Top 10 NHS Bodies by Average Annual Antidepressant Prescriptions:
NHS Kent and Medway recorded the highest average annual prescriptions at over 214,000, followed closely by NHS Hampshire, Southampton and the Isle of Wight with nearly 200,000.
| Rank | NHS Body | Avg. Annual Prescriptions |
| 1 | NHS Kent and Medway | 214,206 |
| 2 | NHS Hampshire, Southampton and Isle of Wight | 199,614 |
| 3 | NHS Norfolk and Waveney | 180,171 |
| 4 | NHS Devon | 169,360 |
| 5 | NHS North East London | 153,313 |
| 6 | NHS North West London | 149,333 |
| 7 | NHS Derby and Derbyshire | 142,371 |
| 8 | NHS Black Country | 138,506 |
| 9 | NHS Lincolnshire | 138,322 |
| 10 | NHS Nottingham and Nottinghamshire | 137,506 |
Bottom 10 NHS Bodies by Average Annual Antidepressant Prescriptions:
NHS West Lancashire recorded the lowest prescribing volume, averaging 14,453 antidepressant prescriptions per year. The other NHS bodies with low volumes generally cover smaller populations, often in more rural settings.
| Rank | NHS Body | Avg. Annual Prescriptions |
| 1 | NHS West Lancashire | 14,453 |
| 2 | NHS East Staffordshire | 16,675 |
| 3 | NHS Southport and Formby | 18,095 |
| 4 | NHS Cannock Chase | 18,097 |
| 5 | NHS Stafford and Surrounds | 18,103 |
| 6 | NHS Thurrock | 18,417 |
| 7 | NHS Castle Point and Rochford | 19,911 |
| 8 | NHS Bassetlaw | 20,540 |
