England 2015/16 to 2024/25

Published 24 July 2025

Summary

In England in 2024/25:

13.9 million antipsychotic items were prescribed to 873,000 identified patients.

More female patients were prescribed antipsychotics than male patients in most age bands.

Twice as many identified patients were prescribed antipsychotics in the most deprived areas versus the least deprived.

1. Things you should know

These drugs are used to treat psychoses and related disorders, and are referred to under the umbrella term antipsychotics.

These drugs are described in the British National Formulary (BNF) section 4.2:

  • BNF paragraph 4.2.1 - Antipsychotic drugs
  • BNF paragraph 4.2.2 - Antipsychotic depot injections
  • BNF paragraph 4.2.3 - Drugs for mania and hypomania
These paragraphs are held in the same structure of the BNF prior to the release of version 70.

2. Results - Drugs used in psychoses and related disorders

Number of antipsychotics items prescribed in England 2015/16 to 2024/25

Chart
Figure 1: Antipsychotic drugs items increased but items in other antipsychotics paragraphs decreased between 2023/24 and 2024/25
Table
Table 1: Antipsychotic drugs items increased but items in other antipsychotics paragraphs decreased in 2024/25
Financial year BNF paragraph name Items
2015/2016 Antipsychotic depot injections 155,128
2015/2016 Antipsychotic drugs 9,386,161
2015/2016 Drugs used for mania and hypomania 1,492,070
2016/2017 Antipsychotic depot injections 150,762
2016/2017 Antipsychotic drugs 9,892,438
2016/2017 Drugs used for mania and hypomania 1,503,076
2017/2018 Antipsychotic depot injections 146,047
2017/2018 Antipsychotic drugs 10,243,055
2017/2018 Drugs used for mania and hypomania 1,490,326
2018/2019 Antipsychotic depot injections 139,791
2018/2019 Antipsychotic drugs 10,548,263
2018/2019 Drugs used for mania and hypomania 1,467,441
2019/2020 Antipsychotic depot injections 132,466
2019/2020 Antipsychotic drugs 11,003,376
2019/2020 Drugs used for mania and hypomania 1,474,577
2020/2021 Antipsychotic depot injections 125,468
2020/2021 Antipsychotic drugs 11,464,817
2020/2021 Drugs used for mania and hypomania 1,427,057
2021/2022 Antipsychotic depot injections 120,132
2021/2022 Antipsychotic drugs 11,700,858
2021/2022 Drugs used for mania and hypomania 1,386,963
2022/2023 Antipsychotic depot injections 115,578
2022/2023 Antipsychotic drugs 11,886,145
2022/2023 Drugs used for mania and hypomania 1,377,537
2023/2024 Antipsychotic depot injections 114,493
2023/2024 Antipsychotic drugs 12,090,992
2023/2024 Drugs used for mania and hypomania 1,362,573
2024/2025 Antipsychotic depot injections 111,898
2024/2025 Antipsychotic drugs 12,441,647
2024/2025 Drugs used for mania and hypomania 1,332,912
2015/2016 Total 11,033,359
2016/2017 Total 11,546,276
2017/2018 Total 11,879,428
2018/2019 Total 12,155,495
2019/2020 Total 12,610,419
2020/2021 Total 13,017,342
2021/2022 Total 13,207,953
2022/2023 Total 13,379,260
2023/2024 Total 13,568,058
2024/2025 Total 13,886,457

Source: Financial year statistical summary tables - Drugs used in psychoses and related disorders

In 2024/25 there were 13.9 million antipsychotic items prescribed, a 2.35% increase from 2023/24. The overall increase was driven by a 2.90% rise in items in BNF paragraph antipsychotic drugs. The other 2 paragraphs in this section decreased from 2023/24 to 2024/25. Antipsychotic depot injections decreased by 2.27% and drugs used for mania and hypomania decreased by 2.18%.

The continued increase in the prescribing of antipsychotic drugs has been mainly caused by an increase in prescribing of quetiapine, aripiprazole, and olanzapine between 2015/16 and 2024/25. These chemical substances saw an increase in items prescribed of 1.72 million, 1.01 million, and 408,000 respectively between 2015/16 and 2024/25.

Number of identified patients prescribed one or more antipsychotics items in England 2015/16 to 2024/25

In figure 2, any patient who was prescribed items from more than one BNF paragraph is counted in each relevant paragraph. However, these patients have only been counted once in the antipsychotics total. The total number of identified patients is therefore lower than if the totals for each paragraph are added together.

Chart
Figure 2: Identified patients prescribed antipsychotics increased in 2024/25 in the BNF paragraph antipsychotic drugs
Table
Table 2: Identified patients prescribed antipsychotics increased in 2024/25 in the BNF paragraph antipsychotic drugs
Financial year BNF paragraph name Identified patients
2015/2016 Antipsychotic drugs 664,699
2015/2016 Antipsychotic depot injections 18,188
2015/2016 Drugs used for mania and hypomania 84,403
2016/2017 Antipsychotic drugs 695,151
2016/2017 Antipsychotic depot injections 17,858
2016/2017 Drugs used for mania and hypomania 83,268
2017/2018 Antipsychotic drugs 719,256
2017/2018 Antipsychotic depot injections 16,566
2017/2018 Drugs used for mania and hypomania 81,320
2018/2019 Antipsychotic drugs 732,737
2018/2019 Antipsychotic depot injections 15,785
2018/2019 Drugs used for mania and hypomania 78,892
2019/2020 Antipsychotic drugs 756,245
2019/2020 Antipsychotic depot injections 14,756
2019/2020 Drugs used for mania and hypomania 77,533
2020/2021 Antipsychotic drugs 807,110
2020/2021 Antipsychotic depot injections 13,695
2020/2021 Drugs used for mania and hypomania 74,955
2021/2022 Antipsychotic drugs 799,965
2021/2022 Antipsychotic depot injections 13,000
2021/2022 Drugs used for mania and hypomania 72,493
2022/2023 Antipsychotic drugs 810,156
2022/2023 Antipsychotic depot injections 12,741
2022/2023 Drugs used for mania and hypomania 71,324
2023/2024 Antipsychotic drugs 823,367
2023/2024 Antipsychotic depot injections 12,462
2023/2024 Drugs used for mania and hypomania 69,449
2024/2025 Antipsychotic drugs 835,786
2024/2025 Antipsychotic depot injections 11,898
2024/2025 Drugs used for mania and hypomania 66,684
2015/2016 Total 715,166
2016/2017 Total 744,476
2017/2018 Total 766,806
2018/2019 Total 778,648
2019/2020 Total 800,700
2020/2021 Total 849,605
2021/2022 Total 840,819
2022/2023 Total 850,219
2023/2024 Total 862,145
2024/2025 Total 872,860

Source: Financial year statistical summary tables - Drugs used in psychoses and related disorders

An estimated 873,000 identified patients were prescribed at least one antipsychotic item in 2024/25, a 1.24% increase from 2023/24. Identified patients have increased over time since 2015/16 to 2024/25, and show a similar upward trend to items.

Number of items and identified patients for antipsychotics prescribing in England, quarter 1 2015/16 to quarter 4 2024/25

Chart
Figure 3: Identified patients prescribed antipsychotics and items increased in the first 3 quarters of 2024/25, but both decreased in quarter 4
Table
Table 3: Identified patients prescribed antipsychotics and items increased in the first 3 quarters of 2024/25, but both decreased in quarter 4
Financial quarter BNF section name Identified patients Total prescribed items
2015/2016 Q1 Drugs used in psychoses and related disorders 529,808 2,688,743
2015/2016 Q2 Drugs used in psychoses and related disorders 535,945 2,755,336
2015/2016 Q3 Drugs used in psychoses and related disorders 545,945 2,839,301
2015/2016 Q4 Drugs used in psychoses and related disorders 549,104 2,749,979
2016/2017 Q1 Drugs used in psychoses and related disorders 554,930 2,843,973
2016/2017 Q2 Drugs used in psychoses and related disorders 558,390 2,873,758
2016/2017 Q3 Drugs used in psychoses and related disorders 566,542 2,937,387
2016/2017 Q4 Drugs used in psychoses and related disorders 571,997 2,891,158
2017/2018 Q1 Drugs used in psychoses and related disorders 571,174 2,922,808
2017/2018 Q2 Drugs used in psychoses and related disorders 575,850 2,969,740
2017/2018 Q3 Drugs used in psychoses and related disorders 582,390 3,014,157
2017/2018 Q4 Drugs used in psychoses and related disorders 586,373 2,972,723
2018/2019 Q1 Drugs used in psychoses and related disorders 583,046 2,996,976
2018/2019 Q2 Drugs used in psychoses and related disorders 584,945 3,013,938
2018/2019 Q3 Drugs used in psychoses and related disorders 593,049 3,113,488
2018/2019 Q4 Drugs used in psychoses and related disorders 595,676 3,031,093
2019/2020 Q1 Drugs used in psychoses and related disorders 595,439 3,087,482
2019/2020 Q2 Drugs used in psychoses and related disorders 599,846 3,140,771
2019/2020 Q3 Drugs used in psychoses and related disorders 608,453 3,204,568
2019/2020 Q4 Drugs used in psychoses and related disorders 614,776 3,177,598
2020/2021 Q1 Drugs used in psychoses and related disorders 631,117 3,247,389
2020/2021 Q2 Drugs used in psychoses and related disorders 619,583 3,210,215
2020/2021 Q3 Drugs used in psychoses and related disorders 633,407 3,318,762
2020/2021 Q4 Drugs used in psychoses and related disorders 636,869 3,240,976
2021/2022 Q1 Drugs used in psychoses and related disorders 631,196 3,270,660
2021/2022 Q2 Drugs used in psychoses and related disorders 635,639 3,308,719
2021/2022 Q3 Drugs used in psychoses and related disorders 640,773 3,340,091
2021/2022 Q4 Drugs used in psychoses and related disorders 641,750 3,288,483
2022/2023 Q1 Drugs used in psychoses and related disorders 638,148 3,318,395
2022/2023 Q2 Drugs used in psychoses and related disorders 637,851 3,328,319
2022/2023 Q3 Drugs used in psychoses and related disorders 646,987 3,378,002
2022/2023 Q4 Drugs used in psychoses and related disorders 650,675 3,354,544
2023/2024 Q1 Drugs used in psychoses and related disorders 646,318 3,343,765
2023/2024 Q2 Drugs used in psychoses and related disorders 649,457 3,388,112
2023/2024 Q3 Drugs used in psychoses and related disorders 656,267 3,430,522
2023/2024 Q4 Drugs used in psychoses and related disorders 658,679 3,405,659
2024/2025 Q1 Drugs used in psychoses and related disorders 656,513 3,434,858
2024/2025 Q2 Drugs used in psychoses and related disorders 656,969 3,507,699
2024/2025 Q3 Drugs used in psychoses and related disorders 664,101 3,525,555
2024/2025 Q4 Drugs used in psychoses and related disorders 663,509 3,418,345

Source: Quarterly statistical summary tables - Drugs used in psychoses and related disorders

In 2024/25, the number of identified patients prescribed antipsychotics increased across the first 3 quarters until Q4 where the number decreased by 0.09% compared to the previous quarter. Items also increased across the first 3 quarters until Q4 where they fell by 3.04% to 3.42 million. Despite this small decrease in Q4, identified patients and items were both higher than the same quarter in 2023/24.

Number of identified patients prescribed antipsychotics drugs by age band and gender, England 2024/25

The data used in this chart and table includes identified patients where age and gender are known (99.5%). The number of patients is the raw figure and has not been adjusted by the national population of the same age and gender group. When interpreting demographic information the underlying populations should also be considered.

Chart
Figure 4: More female patients prescribed antipsychotics than male patients in most age bands
Table
Table 4: More female patients prescribed antipsychotics than male patients in most age bands
BNF section name Age band Patient gender Total identified patients
Drugs used in psychoses and related disorders 0 to 4 Female 139
Drugs used in psychoses and related disorders 0 to 4 Male 137
Drugs used in psychoses and related disorders 5 to 9 Female 171
Drugs used in psychoses and related disorders 5 to 9 Male 382
Drugs used in psychoses and related disorders 10 to 14 Female 840
Drugs used in psychoses and related disorders 10 to 14 Male 1,710
Drugs used in psychoses and related disorders 15 to 19 Female 6,915
Drugs used in psychoses and related disorders 15 to 19 Male 5,884
Drugs used in psychoses and related disorders 20 to 24 Female 17,087
Drugs used in psychoses and related disorders 20 to 24 Male 13,643
Drugs used in psychoses and related disorders 25 to 29 Female 24,423
Drugs used in psychoses and related disorders 25 to 29 Male 20,589
Drugs used in psychoses and related disorders 30 to 34 Female 28,916
Drugs used in psychoses and related disorders 30 to 34 Male 27,070
Drugs used in psychoses and related disorders 35 to 39 Female 31,324
Drugs used in psychoses and related disorders 35 to 39 Male 30,073
Drugs used in psychoses and related disorders 40 to 44 Female 32,070
Drugs used in psychoses and related disorders 40 to 44 Male 31,938
Drugs used in psychoses and related disorders 45 to 49 Female 30,796
Drugs used in psychoses and related disorders 45 to 49 Male 31,912
Drugs used in psychoses and related disorders 50 to 54 Female 35,554
Drugs used in psychoses and related disorders 50 to 54 Male 36,239
Drugs used in psychoses and related disorders 55 to 59 Female 37,606
Drugs used in psychoses and related disorders 55 to 59 Male 36,230
Drugs used in psychoses and related disorders 60 to 64 Female 35,301
Drugs used in psychoses and related disorders 60 to 64 Male 33,119
Drugs used in psychoses and related disorders 65 to 69 Female 29,081
Drugs used in psychoses and related disorders 65 to 69 Male 25,831
Drugs used in psychoses and related disorders 70 to 74 Female 26,290
Drugs used in psychoses and related disorders 70 to 74 Male 22,491
Drugs used in psychoses and related disorders 75 to 79 Female 31,339
Drugs used in psychoses and related disorders 75 to 79 Male 25,070
Drugs used in psychoses and related disorders 80 to 84 Female 30,795
Drugs used in psychoses and related disorders 80 to 84 Male 22,138
Drugs used in psychoses and related disorders 85 to 89 Female 30,930
Drugs used in psychoses and related disorders 85 to 89 Male 19,410
Drugs used in psychoses and related disorders 90+ Female 40,634
Drugs used in psychoses and related disorders 90+ Male 17,114

Source: Financial year statistical summary tables - Drugs used in psychoses and related disorders

There were 470,000 female patients and 401,000 male patients who received at least one antipsychotics item in 2024/25. The differences in prescribing between female patients and male patients were smaller than some of the other BNF sections in this publication.

Female patients aged 90+ were the largest group across all age and gender groups for the third year in a row. This group was 4.66% of all identified patients with a known age and gender. The second largest group in 2024/25 was female patients aged 55 to 59, which was 4.32% of all identified patients with known age and gender. This was followed by male patients aged 50 to 54 at 4.16%.

Number of identified patients prescribed antipsychotics drugs by Index of Multiple Deprivation (IMD) quintile, England 2024/25

Chart
Figure 5: The number of patients prescribed antipsychotics increases with increasing deprivation
Table
Table 5: The number of patients prescribed antipsychotics increases with increasing deprivation
BNF section name IMD quintile Total identified patients
Drugs used in psychoses and related disorders 1 - Most Deprived 253,118
Drugs used in psychoses and related disorders 2 210,142
Drugs used in psychoses and related disorders 3 178,111
Drugs used in psychoses and related disorders 4 151,345
Drugs used in psychoses and related disorders 5 - Least Deprived 128,559

Source: Financial year statistical summary tables - Drugs used in psychoses and related disorders

The most deprived areas in England had an estimated 253,000 identified patients prescribed antipsychotic items in 2024/25. This was almost twice as many as the estimated 129,000 patients prescribed antipsychotic items in the least deprived areas.

There have also consistently been more items prescribed per patient in the most deprived areas than in the least deprived areas. In 2024/25, there were 18 items per patient prescribed in the most deprived areas compared to 11 items per patient in the least deprived areas.

Number of identified patients prescribed antipsychotics drugs per 1,000 population by ICB, England 2024/25

Map
Figure 6 (map): The number of identified patients prescribed antipsychotics per 1,000 population varied by ICB
Chart
Figure 6 (chart): The number of identified patients prescribed antipsychotics per 1,000 population varied by ICB

Note: After rounding the data, some ICBs have the same number of estimated patients per 1,000 population. This chart has been arranged by the unrounded values for each ICB.

Table
Table 6: The number of identified patients prescribed antipsychotics per 1,000 population varied by ICB
ICB name ICB code BNF section name Patients per 1000 population
NHS Norfolk and Waveney Integrated Care Board QMM Drugs used in psychoses and related disorders 27.0
NHS Devon Integrated Care Board QJK Drugs used in psychoses and related disorders 23.9
NHS Suffolk and North East Essex Integrated Care Board QJG Drugs used in psychoses and related disorders 23.2
NHS Black Country Integrated Care Board QUA Drugs used in psychoses and related disorders 22.9
NHS Hampshire and Isle of Wight Integrated Care Board QRL Drugs used in psychoses and related disorders 22.6
NHS Coventry and Warwickshire Integrated Care Board QWU Drugs used in psychoses and related disorders 21.8
NHS Sussex Integrated Care Board QNX Drugs used in psychoses and related disorders 21.8
NHS Lincolnshire Integrated Care Board QJM Drugs used in psychoses and related disorders 21.6
NHS Birmingham and Solihull Integrated Care Board QHL Drugs used in psychoses and related disorders 21.2
NHS Cheshire and Merseyside Integrated Care Board QYG Drugs used in psychoses and related disorders 20.4
NHS Derby and Derbyshire Integrated Care Board QJ2 Drugs used in psychoses and related disorders 20.0
NHS Gloucestershire Integrated Care Board QR1 Drugs used in psychoses and related disorders 19.7
NHS North Central London Integrated Care Board QMJ Drugs used in psychoses and related disorders 19.6
NHS Leicester, Leicestershire and Rutland Integrated Care Board QK1 Drugs used in psychoses and related disorders 19.4
NHS Dorset Integrated Care Board QVV Drugs used in psychoses and related disorders 19.2
NHS Herefordshire and Worcestershire Integrated Care Board QGH Drugs used in psychoses and related disorders 19.2
NHS Northamptonshire Integrated Care Board QPM Drugs used in psychoses and related disorders 19.0
NHS Cornwall and the Isles of Scilly Integrated Care Board QT6 Drugs used in psychoses and related disorders 18.8
NHS North East London Integrated Care Board QMF Drugs used in psychoses and related disorders 18.7
NHS Lancashire and South Cumbria Integrated Care Board QE1 Drugs used in psychoses and related disorders 18.5
NHS Bedfordshire, Luton and Milton Keynes Integrated Care Board QHG Drugs used in psychoses and related disorders 18.4
NHS Somerset Integrated Care Board QSL Drugs used in psychoses and related disorders 18.4
NHS Kent and Medway Integrated Care Board QKS Drugs used in psychoses and related disorders 18.2
NHS West Yorkshire Integrated Care Board QWO Drugs used in psychoses and related disorders 18.2
NHS Greater Manchester Integrated Care Board QOP Drugs used in psychoses and related disorders 17.9
NHS Cambridgeshire and Peterborough Integrated Care Board QUE Drugs used in psychoses and related disorders 17.4
NHS Mid and South Essex Integrated Care Board QH8 Drugs used in psychoses and related disorders 17.3
NHS Humber and North Yorkshire Integrated Care Board QOQ Drugs used in psychoses and related disorders 17.1
NHS Shropshire, Telford and Wrekin Integrated Care Board QOC Drugs used in psychoses and related disorders 17.1
NHS North West London Integrated Care Board QRV Drugs used in psychoses and related disorders 17.0
NHS Nottingham and Nottinghamshire Integrated Care Board QT1 Drugs used in psychoses and related disorders 17.0
NHS Staffordshire and Stoke-on-Trent Integrated Care Board QNC Drugs used in psychoses and related disorders 17.0
NHS Buckinghamshire, Oxfordshire and Berkshire West Integrated Care Board QU9 Drugs used in psychoses and related disorders 16.8
NHS Surrey Heartlands Integrated Care Board QXU Drugs used in psychoses and related disorders 16.6
NHS Frimley Integrated Care Board QNQ Drugs used in psychoses and related disorders 16.2
NHS South Yorkshire Integrated Care Board QF7 Drugs used in psychoses and related disorders 16.0
NHS Bath and North East Somerset, Swindon and Wiltshire Integrated Care Board QOX Drugs used in psychoses and related disorders 15.9
NHS South West London Integrated Care Board QWE Drugs used in psychoses and related disorders 15.3
NHS South East London Integrated Care Board QKK Drugs used in psychoses and related disorders 15.2
NHS North East and North Cumbria Integrated Care Board QHM Drugs used in psychoses and related disorders 14.4
NHS Hertfordshire and West Essex Integrated Care Board QM7 Drugs used in psychoses and related disorders 14.2
NHS Bristol, North Somerset and South Gloucestershire Integrated Care Board QUY Drugs used in psychoses and related disorders 13.9

Source: Financial year statistical summary tables - Drugs used in psychoses and related disorders | Office for National Statistics - ICB Mid-year population estimates

NHS Norfolk and Waveney ICB had the highest rate of antipsychotic prescribing per 1,000 population in 2024/25. An estimated 27 patients per 1,000 population in this ICB were prescribed at least one antipsychotics item.

NHS Bristol, North Somerset and South Gloucestershire ICB had the lowest rate. In this ICB, an estimated 14 patients out of every 1,000 population were prescribed at least one antipsychotics item in 2024/25.

3. Sections in this release