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Mental Health Law Online
The internet resource on mental health law, and mental capacity law, for England & Wales. You can sign up for free email updates, the online forum and the CPD scheme (which provides 12 hours for £75 and is suitable for lawyers and non-lawyers). You can advertise your job vacancies and events here, or browse the bookshop. The main content of this website has been divided into Case law (2,493), Legislation (393) and Resources (1,148), together with separate Information pages (335) to link everything together.
Forum topics
Contacts
The Magic Book is a database of contact details which currently contains 330 pages.
News and updates
All the latest updates can be seen on on the MHLO updates forum category. Here are the most recent:
- 18/09/25: Case (Financial complaint). Norfolk County Council (24 008 908) [2025] MHLO 16 (LGSCO) — Ombudsman's summary: "Mr X complained the Council failed to protect his late sister in-law, Ms Y, from financial abuse. There was no fault in the way the Council investigated Mr X’s concerns under its safeguarding procedures. However, the Council was at fault for not applying for deputyship to manage Ms Y’s finances when her capital reached the limit set out in the Council’s policy. This caused Mr X and his wife distress and uncertainty. The Council has already apologised to Mr X. It did not cause an injustice to Ms Y as there was no evidence the Council mismanaged her finances. In addition, the Council has amended its policy to prevent a recurrence of fault."
- 18/09/25: Case (Sex and marriage). Re W (Capacity to engage in sexual relations and marry) [2025] EWCOP 32 (T2) — W, a 32 year old woman with a learning disability and a childhood diagnosis of autism, had the capacity to engage in sexual relations ("but she is a vulnerable individual who will need support at appropriate times to be able to effectively exercise that capacity") and to enter into marriage or a civil partnership.
Consultations
To do
Things that will end up with their own MHLO pages, when I have time...
- 18/09/25: Ferguson v HM Asst Coroner for Sefton [2025] EWHC 1901 (Admin)B - inquest case with MH background
Email updates
Choose occasional and/or monthly update emails. To sign up, please go to the email updates subscription page.
CPD
The CPD scheme is primarily aimed at mental health solicitors, and is an ideal way to evidence your continued competence, but is also suitable for barristers, psychiatrists, social workers and psychiatric nurses. For £60, you can obtain 12 CPD credits.
Jobs
Events
Advertise your events here
- Court of Protection User Group: Property and affairs 'Town hall' meeting (online, 24 September 2025)
- MHLA: Foundation course (London, 7 October 2025)
- Court of Protection User Group: General meeting (online, 22 October 2025)
- MHLA: Refresher and Re-accreditation course (online, 27 October 2025)
- MHLA: Panel course (online, 3-4 November 2025)
- PELT: Introduction to the MHA, Code and Tribunals (online, 12 November 2025)
- PELT: Becoming an MHA Administrator - the Basics (online, 20 November 2025)
- PELT: Introduction to MCA and Deprivation of Liberty (online, 27 November 2025)
- PELT: Introduction to COP, including s21A appeals (online, 3 December 2025)
- PELT: MHA Masterclass (online, 17 December 2025)
- PELT: Court of Protection and MCA Masterclass (online, 21 January 2026)
- PELT: Children and Young People - DOL, Competency and Capacity (online, 28 January 2026)
Books
Please support MHLO by buying your books via our affiliate links: Amazon, or Bookshop.org (which supports independent bookshops).
