The Centre for Better Health

What The Centre for Better Health does

The Centre for Better Health (CBH) is a community-based registered charity (Charity No: 292944) headquartered at 1A Darnley Road, London, that supports wellbeing and recovery from mental ill health. Founded in 1959 as an informal self-help group and formally registered in 1962 under the name Psychiatric Rehabilitation Association (PRA), it operates as the first community mental health organisation in Hackney and rebranded to its current name in 2010. The organisation runs three core service lines: Better Health Counselling (low-cost 50-minute psychotherapy sessions delivered by supervised trainee counsellors under BACP guidelines), Better Health Hub (sliding-scale creative, movement and therapeutic courses such as ceramics, yoga, painting, and mindfulness), and Better Health Training (12-week work-skills placements in its social enterprise bike shop). Through the City and Hackney Wellbeing Network partnership, City of London and Hackney residents with severe and enduring mental health conditions access free therapeutic groups, creative courses, and 1:1 Mental Health Coach support.

CBH serves four primary customer segments: adults 18+ with mental health challenges seeking counselling, adults distanced from employment due to mental ill health seeking vocational training, City and Hackney residents with severe and enduring conditions accessing the Wellbeing Network, and trainee counsellors seeking placement experience. The revenue model is hybrid charitable: sliding-scale fees on counselling (£5–£40 per session by income band) and Hub courses; donations via JustGiving and Giveall payroll giving; corporate CSR contributions (Deloitte, Barclays, Grant Thornton, Discovery Channel); trading income from wholly-owned social enterprises Better Health Bikes and Better Health Products Ltd; and funding channelled through the City and Hackney Wellbeing Network. There is no technology platform underpinning delivery — services are in-person at the single London site, with online JotForm application forms and a Mailchimp mailing list serving as the digital touchpoints.

Reported annual impact includes 366 weekly counselling attendees, 442 course places filled across 41 groups, 87% of counselling clients reporting quality-of-life improvement, and 97% of course participants willing to recommend their course. The organisation is governed independently as a charity with no parent company, no venture or private equity backing, and no publicly disclosed financial figures. Headcount is reported in the 11–50 band.

Name

The Centre for Better Health

Legal name

The Centre for Better Health

Website

https://centreforbetterhealth.org.uk

Company type

Private

Founded year

1959

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

11–50 employees

Short description

The Centre for Better Health is a London-based registered charity (founded 1959, Charity No: 292944) delivering low-cost counselling, creative wellbeing courses, and work-skills training placements for adults experiencing mental ill health in Hackney and the City of London, funded through a hybrid mix of sliding-scale fees, donations, corporate CSR, and social enterprise trading income.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Community Mental Health Services

NAICS

Offices of Mental Health Practitioners (except Physicians) (621330), Other Individual and Family Services (62419)

SIC

Services-Social Services (8300), Services-Health Services (8000)

akta.pro primary industry

Mental Health & Crisis Support Services (BPAGACAD)

akta.pro secondary industries

Mental Health & Crisis Support Services (BPAGAEAH), Outpatient Mental Health & Counseling Clinics (HLAFABAC)

Keywords

• Community mental health
• Low-cost counselling
• Creative therapy courses
• Work skills training
• Mental wellbeing charity

Headquarters

HQ city

London

HQ country

United Kingdom

HQ region

Europe

Offices1 record

Markets served

GTM type

B2C

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Operations, Marketing or Sales, Others

Revenue model

1. Sliding Scale Counselling Fees: Low-cost counselling and psychotherapy services with fees based on income level. Daytime sessions offered at concession rates (£5-£40 per session) for those on benefits or low incomes. Evening sessions charged at flat rate of £40.
2. Sliding Scale Course Fees: Better Health Hub courses offered at low-cost with sliding scale based on income. Fully funded places available for City and Hackney Wellbeing Network members.
3. Donations: Charitable donations accepted through JustGiving platform and Payroll Giving via Giveall.
4. Social Enterprise Revenue: Better Health Bikes and Better Health Products generate revenue through sale of refurbished bicycles and healthcare industry supplies. These social enterprises aim to be commercially viable to develop the charity's work.
5. Network-Funded Services: Services funded through partnership with City and Hackney Wellbeing Network, a partnership of specialist mental health providers.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels3 records

Marketing channels4 records

Core offering

The Centre for Better Health is a community-based charity that delivers low-cost counselling and psychotherapy, creative and therapeutic group courses, and 12-week work-skills training placements through social enterprises for adults experiencing mental ill health. Services are offered on a self-referral basis with sliding scale fees based on income, and are accessible free of charge to City and Hackney Wellbeing Network members with severe and enduring mental health conditions.

Product overview

The Centre for Better Health is a community-based charity offering a holistic range of mental health and wellbeing services from a non-clinical, community setting. The organisation operates three core service lines: Better Health Counselling (low-cost talking therapies), Better Health Hub (creative and therapeutic courses), and Better Health Training (work skills placements via social enterprise bike shop). Through the City and Hackney Wellbeing Network partnership, members access free therapeutic support groups, creative courses, and Mental Health Coach support. The organisation also offers counselling placements for trainee counsellors and volunteer opportunities. All services operate on a self-referral basis with sliding fee scales to ensure accessibility.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Brands

• Better Health Hub: Offers creative, movement and therapeutic groups and courses to support self-care and promote wellbeing
• Better Health Counselling
• Better Health Training
• Better Health Enterprises
• City and Hackney Wellbeing Network

Products and services

• Better Health Counselling

Quantifiable outcome

• 87% of counselling clients reported improvement in quality of life
• +2 more outcomes

Named customers1 record

Segments4 records

Ideal customer profiles4 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Partnerships

Three partnerships are on record, tiered core and minor.

• City and Hackney Wellbeing NetworkcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerThe Centre is part of this partnership of specialist mental health providers offering high-quality free support for people struggling with mental health in Hackney and City of London. Network supports people with severe and enduring mental health conditions to improve quality of life. Members access Centre courses free of cost.
• GiveallminorGTM or Marketing PartnerHMRC approved Payroll Giving Agency. The Centre has an account with Giveall to receive tax-free payroll donations from employees.
• JustGivingminorGTM or Marketing PartnerOnline donation platform used by the Centre to accept public donations safely and securely.

Scale indicators9 records

Recent moves7 records

Expansion highlights4 records

Broad incumbents

• Mental Health Foundation: UK's leading mental health charity focused on prevention, research, and public mental health. Comparable charity-status peer addressing mental wellbeing, though operating at national policy and research scale rather than direct local service delivery.
• Rethink Mental Illness: Major UK mental health charity providing community services, support groups, and rehabilitation programmes for people affected by mental illness. Comparable as a multi-service mental health charity operating across community settings, though at significantly greater national scale.
• Mind (Hackney & City): Local Mind branch operating in the same Hackney & City geography as The Centre for Better Health, providing counselling, support groups, and wellbeing services. Part of the broader Mind network, which is the UK's largest mental health charity; directly comparable service mix but significantly larger scale and brand.

Direct peers

• Anxiety UK: UK charity providing support services for people living with anxiety, depression, and related conditions, including counselling and peer support. Comparable as a charity-funded mental health support provider with self-referral pathways and a counselling service.
• Bikeworks: London-based social enterprise using cycling as a vehicle for employability training, wellbeing programmes, and mental health support. Directly comparable to Better Health Bikes in combining a bike shop commercial operation with work-skills training placements for adults distanced from employment.
• SANE: UK mental health charity providing emotional support, information, and research funding for people affected by mental illness. Comparable charity-funded mental health support peer with comparable self-referral and emotional-support service orientation.
• Samaritans: UK-wide mental health charity providing emotional support and crisis intervention services. Comparable mission and charity-funding model, though focused on crisis listening rather than the Centre's longer-term counselling and wellbeing offering.
• Community Living Well: West London community-based mental health and wellbeing service offering talking therapies, wellbeing courses, and recovery support on a self-referral basis. Closely mirrors The Centre for Better Health's community-delivered, non-clinical, sliding-fee model in a different London borough.
• Together (formerly Together: Working for Wellbeing): UK national mental health charity providing community-based support, recovery-focused services, and wellbeing programmes. Directly comparable as a community mental health nonprofit delivering recovery and wellbeing services to people with mental ill health across multiple service lines.

Emerging players

• Togetherall: Digital mental health platform providing anonymous peer support and therapist-moderated services, commissioned by the NHS and universities. Comparable in addressing the same beneficiary population (adults with low-to-moderate mental health needs), but competing on accessibility versus the Centre's in-person-only model.

Market position

Strengths4 records

Weaknesses4 records

Competitive moat4 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• Facebookfacebook.com/thecentreforbetterhealth
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/the-centre-for-better-health-ltd

Compliance1 record

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Subsidiaries2 records

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

M&A

Investments

M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

Frequently asked questions about The Centre for Better Health