Here treatment is provided free at point of delivery funded through taxation so value for money is a pressing matter - many studies have been done such as this one for moderately depressed people: No significant difference between the mean observed costs of patients randomized to antidepressants or to counseling (£342 vs £302, p = .56 [t test]). Source: Cambridge Journals Online - International Journal of Technology Assessment in Health Care - Abstract - COUNSELING VERSUS ANTIDEPRESSANT THERAPY FOR THE TREATMENT OF MILD TO MODERATE DEPRESSION IN PRIMARY CARE