schizophrenia costs were approximately gbp billion in england in for more details on iapt see section the vast majority of mental health care and other health services with the exception of fixed copayments on prescriptions is received free at the point of use and paid for by either the nhs or local authorities the independent english health charity the king s fund has estimated the direct costs of mental illness across the population in england at gbp billion a year mccrone et al evidence shows that approximately of people living with a longterm physical health condition also have comorbid mental health problems cimpean and drake international studies suggest that comorbid mental health problems increase the cost of care for longterm conditions by at least oecd and go uncounted in the estimation of the nhs mental health spending