Background: Existing knowledge about the cultural beliefs of black and minority ethnic (BME) communities in the UK regarding stigma and mental illness is limited.

Material: Data were collected in 10 focus groups, five with service users and five with laypersons, from BME communities in London.

Discussion: Thematic analysis identified that cultural beliefs regarding mental illness reflect four different voices present within the BME communities.

Conclusion: The study revealed that cultural beliefs influencing both relationships with family and, consequently, help-seeking for individuals with mental illness must be considered in the development of anti-stigma interventions and when engaging communities around mental healt.