Launched in autumn 2023, the Happiful Poetry Prize celebrates exceptional writing about mental health and wellbeing. Last year, we received hundreds of outstanding entries, including many from people completely new to poetry.

Now, the prize is back. This year, we’ve introduced exciting new prizes, and every entrant will get a free ticket to an exclusive poetry webinar. We’ve also welcomed two guest judges to help us choose our winner.

We’re looking for original poems that explore mental health and wellbeing in unique, engaging, and empowering ways. Our UK poetry competition is completely free to enter, and you don’t need any previous publishing or poetry experience. All you need is a passion for writing.

Submitting your poem

To enter:

• Submit your poem here.
• Submit one original, previously unpublished poem about mental health or wellbeing, written in English and no more than 25 lines long (excluding the title).
• You must include your poem’s title, your full name, email address, and postcode, as well as a short biography.
• Make sure your poem saved as a Word document (.doc or .docx) or PDF (.pdf).

You must be aged 18 or over and resident in the UK to enter. Only one entry per person is permitted. Generative AI must not be used to write, rewrite, or generate any part of your poem.

Read the full T&Cs before entering. Good luck!

SUBMIT YOUR POEM

We have new prizes...

The winner will receive £100, and four shortlisted poets will each receive a £25 National Book Token. The winning and shortlisted poems will be published in issue 120 of Happiful.

🎉And there’s something for every entrant… 🎉

Every entrant will be invited to an exclusive free online poetry webinar led by poet Sophie Dumont, delivered in partnership with the Rebecca Swift Foundation. Join this exclusive event, offering inspiration, guidance, and practical writing advice from a professional poet.