What OCD Action does

OCD Action is a UK-registered charity (charity number 1154202) founded in 1993 and headquartered in London, operating for over 30 years as the country's largest dedicated OCD charity. The organization delivers frontline support services to individuals affected by Obsessive-Compulsive Disorder and related conditions (including Body Dysmorphic Disorder and hoarding disorder), as well as to their families, carers, and healthcare professionals. Core service offerings include a national helpline (0300 636 5478), online peer-led support groups conducted via Skype, Zoom, and phone, the Bridge youth service, a Next Steps volunteer coaching program for patients starting CBT with ERP therapy, an online forum, parent/carer support groups, webinars, and a comprehensive library of factsheets, GP cards, and NICE-aligned treatment guidance. Distribution is primarily through the website (ocdaction.org.uk), social media channels, and a large volunteer workforce most of whom have lived experience of OCD.

The organization reports reaching over 355,000 people annually — 2,279 through direct project work and 335,932 through digital resources — and has publicly stated it needs to raise at least £300,000 to double its operational capacity. The addressable population is significant: OCD affects an estimated 1–2% of the UK population, yet the average delay from symptom onset to effective treatment is 12 years, a gap the charity explicitly targets through its NHS navigation and treatment-access advocacy work.

OCD Action operates as a non-profit with no shareholders and no government funding. Revenue is diversified across individual donations, an annual membership program priced at £17 per year, approximately 30 charitable trust and foundation grants (including Garfield Weston Foundation, The Henry Smith Charity, Lloyds Bank Foundation, Big Lottery Fund, and The Tudor Trust), corporate partnerships and Charity-of-the-Year relationships, legacy giving, challenge events (London Marathon, Great North Run, London Landmarks Half Marathon), and corporate Lunchtime Learning sessions at a suggested £350 per session. Its go-to-market motion is community-led, relying on volunteers to deliver frontline services and on fundraising challenges, membership, and corporate engagement to fund operations.

Name

OCD Action

Legal name

OCD Action

Website

https://ocdaction.org.uk

Company type

Private

Founded year

1993

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

11–50 employees

Short description

OCD Action is the UK's largest charity dedicated to Obsessive-Compulsive Disorder, founded in 1993, delivering helpline, peer support groups, youth services, and treatment-access advocacy to people with OCD, their families, and healthcare professionals across the UK.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Mental Health Charity Services

NAICS

Individual and Family Services (6241), Other Individual and Family Services (62419)

SIC

Services-Social Services (8300), Services-Misc Health & Allied Services, Nec (8090)

akta.pro primary industry

Mental Health & Crisis Support Services (BPAGACAD)

akta.pro secondary industry

Mental Health & Crisis Support Services (BPAGAEAH)

Keywords

• OCD support services
• Mental health helpline
• Peer support groups
• OCD information resources
• Charitable fundraising events

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, Infrastructure, Others

Revenue model

1. Individual Donations: Single and regular donations from individuals supporting the OCD community
2. Membership: Annual membership at £17 per year, giving members voice in shaping the charity
3. Trust and Foundation Grants: Grant-making trusts support specific areas of work or core costs. OCD Action does not receive government funding and relies on charitable trusts.
4. Corporate Partnerships: Charity of the year partnerships, staff fundraising, payroll giving, cause-related marketing, and corporate donations including Lunchtime Learning sessions at £350 per session
5. Legacies: Gifts in Wills to ensure future generations with OCD can access treatment
6. Challenge Events: Fundraising through events like London Marathon, Great North Run, and London Landmarks Half Marathon

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels5 records

Marketing channels6 records

Core offering

OCD Action is the UK's largest OCD charity, delivering free frontline support services to people affected by Obsessive-Compulsive Disorder, Body Dysmorphic Disorder, hoarding disorder, and related conditions. Its core offerings comprise a national Helpline, peer-led Online Support Groups via Skype/Zoom/phone, dedicated services for young people (The Bridge), parents and carers, an online Forum, Next Steps coaching alongside CBT with ERP therapy, and a comprehensive library of information resources, webinars, and treatment navigation guides. The charity complements direct services with research facilitation, an annual membership programme, challenge-event fundraising, and corporate awareness sessions.

Product overview

OCD Action is the UK's largest OCD charity, offering a portfolio of support services rather than a unified technology product. Core services include a Helpline (phone/email), online and phone-based Support Groups via Zoom/Skype, peer support programs (Next Steps, Parents Groups), and educational resources (factsheets, webinars, GP Card, NICE Guidelines). The organization facilitates research, provides membership programs, and offers fundraising support including challenge events and corporate partnerships. Services are delivered through the website, phone, video conferencing, and in-person community touchpoints, forming an integrated support ecosystem for individuals affected by OCD, their families, and healthcare professionals.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• Helpline Service Phone and email helpline providing compassionate listening and trusted information to people affected by OCD or related conditions. Staffed by trained volunteers, most with personal experience of OCD.
• Online Support Groups Peer-led virtual groups conducted via Skype, Zoom, or phone, providing safe and confidential spaces for people affected by OCD to connect and share experiences. Includes general groups and specific groups for particular experiences and demographics.
• The Bridge Specialized support service for young people with OCD and their families, providing age-appropriate resources and support.
• Forum Online discussion forum enabling people affected by OCD to connect, share experiences, and support one another.
• Parents and Carers Support Group Peer support group specifically for parents and carers of people with OCD, helping them feel less isolated and providing information on navigating services.
• Next Steps Paired support service matching individuals starting CBT with ERP therapy with trained volunteers for 4-5 calls throughout treatment to provide guidance, encouragement, and help with communication.
• Information Resources Comprehensive factsheets and guides covering OCD symptoms, treatment options, NHS navigation, therapy guidance, medication information, and support for families and carers. Includes GP Card and NICE Guidelines.
• Webinars Online educational presentations providing information about OCD, treatment options, and related topics for patients, families, and professionals.
• CBT with ERP Therapy Guidance Information and guidance on Cognitive Behavioural Therapy with Exposure and Response Prevention (the recommended treatment for OCD), including guidance on finding therapists and making the most of therapy.
• Research Facilitation Facilitating research by connecting credible researchers with volunteers willing to participate in OCD trials and studies, with ethical approval where required.
• Membership Annual membership program at £17/year enabling supporters to help shape the charity's direction and get more involved in OCD Action's work.
• Challenge Events Fundraising events including London Marathon, Great North Run, and London Landmarks Half Marathon, enabling supporters to raise money while taking on athletic challenges.
• Lunchtime Learning Sessions 45-minute workplace sessions for corporate partners covering OCD awareness, myths, treatment, and workplace support tips, with suggested donation of £350 per session.

Quantifiable outcome

• Over 355,000 people helped annually through direct services and digital resources
• +2 more outcomes

Named customers3 records

Segments1 record

Ideal customer profiles4 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Partnerships

Four partnerships are on record, tiered minor and core.

• Lakes International Comic Art FestivalminorGTM or Marketing PartnerOfficial Charity 2016 partnership for community engagement and awareness raising
• Rosemont RecruitmentminorGTM or Marketing PartnerCharity of the Year 2016 partnership for workplace fundraising and employee engagement
• Student MindscoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerCollaboration on Student Space resource providing mental health support information for university students with OCD, run by Student Minds
• Student SpaceminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerMental health initiative run by Student Minds offering safe and confidential support for students during pandemic, with OCD-specific resources developed with OCD Action

Scale indicators7 records

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights5 records

Direct peers

• No Panic: UK charity supporting people with panic attacks, phobias, OCD, and related anxiety conditions. Provides helpline, support groups, and recovery-based services that overlap closely with OCD Action's offering.
• Anxiety UK: UK charity providing support for people with anxiety disorders including OCD. Operates a similar helpline, membership, and support service model and competes directly for the same beneficiary population.
• OCD-UK: Another major UK charity dedicated specifically to OCD, providing information resources, support groups, and advocacy. Directly competes for OCD-specific donor, volunteer, and beneficiary mindshare in the same UK niche.
• Triumph Over Phobia (TOP UK): UK charity providing self-help therapy groups for phobias and OCD. Closely comparable model of peer-led group support and operates in the same OCD/anxiety sub-niche.

Broad incumbents

• SANE: UK mental health charity providing helpline, peer support, and research funding. Operates a similar volunteer-supported service model and competes in the same condition-overlap fundraising environment.
• Rethink Mental Illness: Major UK mental health charity providing information, support groups, and advocacy across a wide range of conditions. Overlaps in service model (helpline, support groups, local groups) and competes for trust funding and policy influence.
• Mind: The UK's largest generalist mental health charity. While not OCD-specific, Mind overlaps significantly in mental health helpline, information, and advocacy services, and competes with OCD Action for the same charitable trust and individual donor pools.
• Beat (Eating Disorders): UK charity providing helplines, online support groups, and information for people affected by eating disorders. Operates an almost identical service portfolio (helpline, support groups, forums, factsheets) for a different but adjacent condition, making it a strong operational model peer.
• Mental Health Foundation: UK charity focused on prevention and public mental health through research, policy, and public education. Comparable in awareness-raising and media engagement, and a peer for trust and corporate partnership funding.
• YoungMinds: UK charity focused on children and young people's mental health. Overlaps with OCD Action's youth-focused services like The Bridge, and competes for youth mental health trust funding and media attention.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat4 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• Xx.com/ocdaction
• Facebookfacebook.com/OCDAction

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles2 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 OCD Action