Each client has a set number of sessions provided by their employer, and it’s important you and your client are mindful of these limits. In exceptional circumstances, employers will agree to funding additional therapy sessions where there is a clinical need and often when the issues are linked to work.

This article explains:

  • When it may be appropriate to request additional employer‑funded therapy sessions
  • The criteria that must be met
  • How to make the request
  • The process Unmind follows with employers
  • What happens if a request is declined

If you are already familiar with this process, you can access the request form here.

Table of contents

When is it appropriate to request additional sessions?

You should first consider whether the client’s needs can be met within their existing session allowance, or if alternatives like switching to self-pay or support from alternative providers may be appropriate.

You may consider requesting additional sessions when:

  • You and your client agree that more therapy sessions would be beneficial.
  • The work is therapy (not coaching).
  • There is a clear clinical need, and there is a risk that without continued support your client’s mental health may deteriorate.
  • The difficulties are impacting work – for example, risk of sickness absence, reduced engagement, or performance concerns.
  • Your client is engaged in therapy and has attended all or most of their sessions.
  • Your client is making progress and benefiting from therapy, supported by outcome measures.
  • You have a clear goal and plan for how the additional sessions will be used.
  • Your client needs ongoing support before their session allowance renews (if you are unsure, you can check the renewal date in Unmind Connect or with the Support team).
  • You have discussed alternative sources of support where appropriate (for example, NHS or other public services, GP, private medical insurance, or local/charitable services).

If these criteria are met, it may be appropriate to request additional employer‑funded sessions.

How many additional sessions can be requested?

You can request up to 8 additional therapy sessions per client, per year under this process, on top of the sessions already funded by their employer.

This is an upper limit, not a guarantee of approval. Please request only the number of sessions that you believe is clinically appropriate given the goals and progress of the work.

Step-by-step process

Discuss with your client and gain consent

  • Explain how you believe additional therapy sessions would help and how this aligns with their goals and progress so far.
  • Check that they would like you to request additional sessions from their employer, assuring them this is anonymous.
  • Discuss if there are any actions the workplace may wish to consider to support the client which could be shared with the client's name alongside the request. Explicit consent must be gained before doing this.
  • Ensure they understand that this is a request, not a guarantee, and that their employer makes the final decision on funding.
  • Make the request in good time - ideally before your client's final session - to allow time for the employer to respond and to avoid leaving your client without support.

Check the criteria

Before submitting a request, confirm that all of the criteria are met.

Submit a request to our Support team using this form

Once your request is received, the Support team will:

  • Check your request meets the criteria
  • Confirm your client’s session usage and remaining session credits
  • If the criteria are met, forward the request anonymously to your client’s employer for consideration (unless explicit consent gained to share the client’s name).

If the request does not meet the criteria, our Support team will decline it on behalf of your client’s employer and inform you, so you can discuss next steps with your client.

Employer response and timelines

To ensure timely and responsive care, we ask employers to respond within 5 working days. However, we recognise that there may be legitimate reasons for delays (for example, annual leave, internal approvals).

Support will continue to follow up with your client's employer, rather than assuming that a lack of response within 5 days means a decline

Overall, the request process can take up to two weeks from submission to decision. The Support team will inform you as soon as we receive the employer’s response.

If the request is declined

If the employer declines the request:

  • The Support team will inform you of the outcome
  • You can then discuss the decision with your client and explore other options, such as:
    • Moving to self‑pay, where appropriate
    • Signposting to other services, such as NHS or public mental health services (where available), GP, private medical insurance, community or charitable providers

We recommend setting expectations early in therapy that:

  • Additional employer‑funded sessions are requested, not guaranteed, and
  • Funding decisions are made by the employer, not by you or Unmind

This can help reduce distress and misunderstanding if a request is not approved.

Confidentiality and decision‑making

We prioritise client privacy and care throughout this process.

  • Your client’s identity is kept anonymous in communications with their employer, unless explicit consent has given to share details in order to support the client further.
  • We do not ask you to share detailed clinical or diagnostic information as part of the request.
  • Unmind, including the Support team, does not make the final decision about funding additional sessions. The decision rests with your client's employer.

In rare cases, exceptional situations may be considered on a case‑by‑case basis by Unmind’s clinical leadership and discussed with the client’s organisation where appropriate.

In crisis or high‑risk situations

If your client is at immediate risk of harm to themselves or others, the priority is always urgent and emergency support, not additional employer‑funded sessions.

In these situations:

  • Follow your usual clinical and safeguarding pathways (for example, emergency services, crisis teams, GP, organisational safeguarding contacts).
  • Additional sessions may sometimes be helpful in stabilising your client or supporting a safe transition to more intensive care, but this should not replace emergency pathways.