Bipolar Scotland

What Bipolar Scotland does

Bipolar Scotland is a registered Scottish charity (SC021705) and company (SC163306), founded in 1992 by Dr Margaret Thomas and a small group of volunteers, that operates as Scotland's national charity supporting people affected by bipolar disorder. The organisation delivers a portfolio of peer-led services including in-person and online support groups across 12+ Scottish regions, self-management training (Essentials, Building on Essentials, Friends and Family, and Let's Talk About...), workplace training (Beyond Awareness, Bipolar at Work, Bipolar Awareness, and bespoke sessions), the Beyond Diagnosis one-to-one support service for recently diagnosed adults, and the Momentum Works employment support programme. Its core technology footprint is minimal, comprising a WordPress website, Eventbrite course booking, Zoom-based online groups, social media channels, and a bi-monthly e-magazine (On The Level), with no proprietary AI or platform disclosed.

The business model combines free individual membership (driving reach and community engagement) with four paid organisational membership tiers (Bronze £500, Silver £1,000, Gold £2,500, Platinum £3,500 per year) that bundle workplace training, brand visibility, and event access for corporate and charity partners. Additional revenue streams include individual and corporate donations (with Gift Aid), community fundraising events (Kiltwalk, runs, quizzes), workplace training fees, legacy giving, and government grants channelled through The ALLIANCE's Self Management Fund. The customer base spans people living with bipolar, family and carers, mental health professionals, and Scottish employers, with services distributed through a hybrid digital-and-field model under the leadership of CEO Jayne Laidlaw.

Operationally, the charity is member-led, governed by a board of trustees elected from within its membership, and structured around its 2026-2030 strategy "A Time for Transformation," which prioritises earlier diagnosis, post-diagnosis support, tackling health inequalities, and amplifying lived-experience voices across Scotland.

Name

Bipolar Scotland

Legal name

Bipolar Scotland

Website

https://bipolarscotland.org.uk

Company type

Private

Founded year

1992

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

1–10 employees

Short description

Bipolar Scotland is Scotland's national charity supporting people affected by bipolar disorder. Founded in 1992, it delivers peer-led support groups, self-management and workplace training, and one-to-one services across Scotland, funded by donations, membership fees, corporate partnerships, and government grants.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Mental Health Charity Services

NAICS

Other Individual and Family Services (624190), Services for the Elderly and Persons with Disabilities (62412)

SIC

Services-Social Services (8300), Services-Membership Organizations (8600)

akta.pro industry

PRIMARYBPAGACAD

Mental Health & Crisis Support Services

Business & Public Services/Nonprofit, NGO & Social Services/Health & Medical Nonprofits

SECONDARYBPAGAEAH

Mental Health & Crisis Support Services

Business & Public Services/Nonprofit, NGO & Social Services/Social Services & Community Support (Food, Housing, Family)

Keywords

• Peer support services
• Mental health charity
• Bipolar support groups
• Workplace mental health training
• Self-management training

Headquarters

HQ city

Paisley

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 Membership: Free membership for individuals living with bipolar, family, friends, carers, professionals and allies. Provides access to e-magazine, surveys, consultations, workshops and community connection.
2. Organisational Membership Tiers: Associate membership for organisations at four tiers: Bronze (£500/year), Silver (£1,000/year), Gold (£2,500/year), and Platinum (£3,500/year). Includes benefits such as training sessions, social media recognition, website visibility, and event access.
3. Donations: One-time and monthly donations from individuals, including Gift Aid scheme for UK taxpayers. Donations support core charitable activities.
4. Workplace Training: Beyond Awareness (6-hour course, online or in-person), Bipolar at Work (2-hour session), Bipolar Awareness (1-hour session), and bespoke training. Revenue stream for organisations seeking mental health training.
5. Fundraising Events: Community fundraising activities including Kiltwalk participation, running events, quiz nights, coffee mornings, and corporate fundraising campaigns.
6. Corporate Partnerships: Charity partnerships with businesses demonstrating corporate social responsibility, including workplace wellbeing initiatives and employee volunteering.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion2 records

Distribution channels6 records

Marketing channels10 records

Core offering

Bipolar Scotland is Scotland's national charity supporting people affected by bipolar through peer-led support groups, self-management training, workplace mental health training, beyond-diagnosis one-to-one support, and employment support services. The organisation funds these services via donations, membership fees (free individual and paid organisational Associate tiers), corporate partnerships, and government grants, delivering everything online and in-person across Scotland.

Product overview

Bipolar Scotland is Scotland's national charity providing a portfolio of peer-led support services for people living with bipolar and their families. The core offerings include a nationwide network of in-person and online Support Groups, Self-Management Training courses (Essentials, Building on Essentials, and Friends & Family), Workplace Training programs (Beyond Awareness, Bipolar at Work, Bipolar Awareness), Beyond Diagnosis peer support for newly diagnosed individuals, and Momentum Works employment support. The organisation operates membership programs offering Free individual membership and tiered Associate Membership for organisations (Bronze to Platinum). Additional services include a Resource Hub with educational materials, the On The Level e-magazine, fundraising and volunteering opportunities, and corporate partnership programs.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• Support Groups Peer support groups for people living with bipolar and their families, offered both online and in-person across various regions of Scotland.
• Self-Management Training Award-winning training courses helping people living with bipolar better understand their condition and build practical skills, including Essentials, Building on Essentials, Friends and Family, and Let's Talk About... focused topics.
• Beyond Awareness Training Workplace mental health training exploring the realities of living and working with complex mental illness, helping employers understand bipolar and respond with confidence, available online or in-person with follow-up support.
• Workplace Training Workplace training delivered by facilitators with lived experience, exploring myths, misunderstandings and stigma, including Beyond Awareness (6-hour course), Bipolar at Work (2-hour session), Bipolar Awareness (1-hour session), Lunch and Learn, and Bespoke Training options.
• Beyond Diagnosis Peer-led service providing up to six months of support for adults recently diagnosed with bipolar, matching them with peer workers with lived experience to help navigate their diagnosis.
• Momentum Works Peer-led employment support service for people with bipolar at early stages of their journey, offering ongoing one-to-one support (up to 3 months) or one-off appointments to help with work or study.
• Free Individual Membership Free individual membership open to people living with bipolar, family, friends, carers, professionals and allies, including regular updates, e-magazine On The Level, invitations to surveys and workshops, and community connection.
• Associate Membership (Organisational) Tiered organisational membership for companies and charities: Bronze £500/year, Silver £1,000/year, Gold £2,500/year and Platinum £3,500/year, providing training access, social media and website recognition, event discounts and sponsorship opportunities.
• Resource Hub Digital resource library featuring Bipolar Scotland's Essential Guide PDF, mood tracking tools, external resources from ACAS and Breathing Space, toolkits including REACT and CCI Bipolar Workbook, and recommended apps.
• On The Level E-Magazine Scotland's most read electronic magazine covering bipolar-related topics, sent to members every two months, filled with stories, lived-experience insights, news and research opportunities.

Quantifiable outcome

• 846 hours of support provided to 80 people across 25 areas in Scotland
• +2 more outcomes

Named customers2 records

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

One partnership is on record.

• Bipolar UKcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerReferral partner for crisis support - Bipolar Scotland directs people in crisis to Bipolar UK's eCommunity (24/7 moderated online forum). Also shares resources including Bipolar UK Mood Tracker app recommended in Resource Hub.

Scale indicators6 records

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights5 records

Emerging players

• Togetherall: Digital mental health platform offering peer-support communities moderated by clinicians. Comparable in the peer-support function it serves for people with bipolar, although delivered through a technology-enabled rather than charity model.

Broad incumbents

• Mental Health Foundation: UK-wide mental health charity focused on prevention, research, and public awareness. Comparable given shared focus on mental health literacy and workplace wellbeing programme delivery in Scotland.
• Mental Health First Aid England: Provider of mental health first aid training programmes across the UK, including workplace settings. Comparable as a competitor in the workplace mental health training market that Bipolar Scotland's Beyond Awareness programme addresses.
• Mind: The UK's leading mental health charity, providing information, advice, local services, and workplace training across all mental health conditions. Comparable in mission and in operating workplace wellbeing training that competes for the same corporate budgets.

Regional players

• See Me Scotland: Scotland's programme to end mental health stigma and discrimination, funded by Scottish Government and SAMH. Regional peer addressing overlapping anti-stigma mission and workplace awareness themes.
• Penumbra: Scottish mental health charity providing personalised support, peer services, and community-based mental health programmes. Regional peer offering similar lived-experience-driven services within Scotland.
• Support in Mind Scotland: Scottish mental health charity providing direct support, self-management groups, and advocacy across Scotland. Regional peer operating in the same geography with overlapping community-based mental health support services.

Direct peers

• Rethink Mental Illness: UK charity supporting people severely affected by mental illness, including peer support groups, employment programmes, and campaigning. Direct peer given similar peer-led service model and overlapping bipolar-relevant programming.
• Scottish Association for Mental Health (SAMH): Scotland's largest dedicated mental health charity providing information, services, and campaigning across all mental health conditions. Comparable given shared Scottish geography, mental health mission, and overlapping workplace and community support offerings.
• Bipolar UK: The UK-wide equivalent charity for people affected by bipolar. Direct peer given shared mission, peer-support model, and an established reciprocal referral partnership (Bipolar Scotland directs crisis cases to Bipolar UK's eCommunity forum).

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat5 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights6 records

Customer concentration

• Xx.com/bipolarscotland
• Facebookfacebook.com/bipolarscotland1
• Instagraminstagram.com/bipolar_scotland

Compliance2 records

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 Bipolar Scotland