In this study eleven items concerning wants and needs of severely mentally ill persons were compared with estimations of the same items made by professional caregivers in psychiatric care and social welfare services. A questionnaire with ten-point Likert scales was distributed to 205 participants, 65 professionals within psychiatric care, 97 professionals within social welfare services and 43 severely mentally ill persons. The Likert scales dealt with living conditions, daily activities, nursing interventions and social welfare services. The severely mentally ill persons scored their wants and needs and professional caregivers estimated the importance of every item concerning the same issues. Professional caregivers made quite similar estimations irrespective of their professional or organizational belonging. They did, however, differ quite a lot from the wants and needs made by the severe mentally ill persons themselves.