How Many Mental Health First Aiders Does a Workplace Need? (2026 Guide)
Quick answer: under MHFA England’s new Workplace Mental Health First Aid Standards (October 2026), organisations with more than 50 employees should have at least one Mental Health First Aider (MHFAider) for every 50 employees, and should aim for one for every 25. Smaller organisations should make sure every colleague can easily reach at least one MHFAider. In our view, even 1 in 25 isn’t enough, and we explain why below.
If you’re an HR manager, business owner or health and safety lead, this guide covers what the official standards say, what the law requires, how many people your organisation needs, and how to put it into practice without it becoming a tick-box exercise.
What the new MHFA England standards say
On 6 October 2026, MHFA England published the first Workplace Mental Health First Aid Standards, developed with members of the Association of Mental Health First Aiders, employers and instructors. Some parts are marked as required and others as recommended best practice. On numbers, they say:
- Required: organisations with more than 50 employees should have at least one MHFAider for every 50 employees, in line with physical first aid provision.
- Recommended: work towards one MHFAider for every 25 employees.
- Smaller organisations: rather than a ratio, make sure at least one MHFAider is easily reachable by every colleague. For a very small team, one well-supported MHFAider can be enough.
- Multiple sites, teams and shifts: have an MHFAider at each location, and use a risk assessment to decide where extra MHFAiders are needed.
- Who to choose: MHFAiders should come from across the organisation, including managers and senior leaders, and reflect the diversity of your workforce.
The standards also require MHFAiders to keep their skills current with an MHFA Refresher or a full Mental Health First Aid course every three years. MHFA England’s guide for employers also recommends retaking the full course every six years.
Is mental health first aid a legal requirement?
Not yet. There is no UK law requiring employers to have Mental Health First Aiders. However, employers do have a legal duty to assess their first aid needs, and the Health and Safety Executive’s guidance says that, after that assessment, employers might decide it would be beneficial to have people trained to recognise and respond to mental health issues. Employers also have wider duties to manage work-related stress and to make reasonable adjustments for employees with mental health conditions.
MHFA England is campaigning for mental health first aid to become a legal requirement alongside physical first aid. Until that happens, the new standards are the clearest benchmark of what good looks like. This guide is general information, not legal advice.
How many MHFAiders does your organisation need?
Here’s what the numbers look like for different sizes of organisation, alongside our own recommendation of one in five (explained in the next section).
| Number of employees | Minimum (1 per 50) | Recommended (1 per 25) | Our recommendation (1 per 5) |
|---|---|---|---|
| 10 | 1 (easily reachable) | 1 | 2 |
| 25 | 1 (easily reachable) | 1 | 5 |
| 50 | 1 | 2 | 10 |
| 100 | 2 | 4 | 20 |
| 250 | 5 | 10 | 50 |
| 500 | 10 | 20 | 100 |
These are starting points. Adjust them for your sites, shift patterns, remote and hybrid workers, and higher-pressure roles. If people work nights or weekends, make sure there’s an MHFAider available during those hours too.
Our view: why 1 in 50 isn’t enough
By Richie Perera, MHFA England Instructor Member and founder of Mental Health & Life
The new standards are a big step forward, and I welcome them. But I believe the minimum ratio is far too low to deliver support safely and well.
According to Mind, one in four people in England will experience a mental health issue each year, and around one in six experience a common mental health condition such as anxiety or depression in any given week. In a team of 50, that could mean eight or more people struggling at any one time, with a single MHFAider as their point of contact.
That’s a heavy load for one person who also has a day job. It leaves no cover when they’re on leave, off sick or on a different shift. It also assumes colleagues feel comfortable approaching that one person, which isn’t always the case.
That’s why I recommend employers work towards one trained person for every five employees. At that level, everyone has someone they know and trust nearby, MHFAiders can share the load and support each other, and help is available across every team, site and shift.
I’ve set out my full reasoning, including where the 1 in 50 figure comes from and why mental health first aid needs a team, in The Maths Don’t Add Up: Why 1 in 50 Mental Health First Aiders Isn’t Enough.
How to get there without doing it all at once
One in five can sound like a lot. For a 100-person organisation it means 20 people. You don’t have to do it in one go. A phased plan works well:
- Year one: meet the recommended 1 in 25 with a core group of MHFAiders trained on the 2-day MHFA England Mental Health First Aider course, including at least one at every site.
- Year two: add more MHFAiders and train line managers as MHFA Champions, so support is spread across every team.
- Year three: reach one in five, and keep everyone current with the MHFA Refresher.
Making your Mental Health First Aiders effective
Numbers matter, but MHFAiders only work well when they’re properly supported. The standards and MHFA England’s guide for employers highlight a few essentials:
- Appoint an MHFA lead with clear ownership and enough time to do the role. Read what a good MHFA Lead does.
- Write a short MHFA policy covering roles, boundaries, confidentiality and how to escalate.
- Have a clear escalation process for crisis situations such as suicide risk or self-harm. MHFAiders are not therapists, and they need to know exactly who to call.
- Give protected time for training, debriefs and peer support.
- Look after your MHFAiders with regular check-ins, so supporting others doesn’t take a toll on them.
- Make them visible through induction, signage and internal communications, so people know who they are and how to reach them.
Frequently asked questions
Do small businesses need a Mental Health First Aider?
It isn’t a legal requirement, but the standards apply to employers of all sizes. For organisations under 50 people, the aim is that every colleague can easily reach at least one MHFAider. We’d recommend at least two, so there’s always cover.
How long does Mental Health First Aid training take?
The MHFA England Mental Health First Aider course takes two days, or the equivalent spread across online sessions. The MHFA Champion course is one day, and the Refresher is half a day.
How often do Mental Health First Aiders need refresher training?
Every three years, through an MHFA Refresher or a full Mental Health First Aid course. This is a required part of the new standards.
Can we train our team together?
Yes. A private course trains up to 16 of your people together, online or at your workplace anywhere in the UK, on dates that suit you. It’s often more cost-effective than booking individual places.
Get your workplace covered
Whether you’re starting with your first MHFAiders or building towards one in five, we can help you plan the right mix of training for your organisation. Request a quote for a private course for your team, or call us on 020 3984 9825.
