London Daily

Focus on the big picture.
Thursday, Jul 10, 2025

How has coronavirus affected mental health?

How has coronavirus affected mental health?

The coronavirus pandemic has led to concerns about a worsening of mental health across the UK but what's the scale of the problem?
How has mental health changed?


Mental health problems have worsened across all age-groups in the past year.

In adults, the proportion of individuals showing symptoms of depression has almost doubled since the start of the pandemic, according to the Office for National Statistics.


In the run-up to the first lockdown, roughly 10% of people showed moderate to severe symptoms, compared with 19% in June 2020.

In children, 16% of 5-16 year olds have "probable" mental health disorders compared with 10.9% in 2017, according to NHS England.


Both of these studies are based on surveys which ask individuals questions related to mental health or depressive symptoms.

Due to the nature of mental health problems recording is difficult, but this form of survey provides the best estimates and allows for consistent comparison over time.

What issues are impacting our mental health?


Coronavirus has fuelled feelings of loneliness, anxiety and fears for the future for many people.

According to the ONS, people with depressive symptoms were more likely to feel that their finances were being impacted, as well as access to care and essential goods.


They also were more likely to feel like their personal relationships were being impacted by the virus.

Children with mental health problems were more than twice as likely to live in a household that had fallen behind with payments, according to NHS England.

They were also more likely to feel as if their lives had been made worse by lockdown.

Are people still getting help?


Coronavirus has had an impact on the amount of people using publicly funded mental health service.

This is part of a broader trend across the whole of the NHS.

On an average month, the NHS talking therapies service can expect to receive about 150,000 referrals for treatment of common mental health problems such as depression or anxiety.

However, this dropped as low as 60,000 in April 2020.

This slowly returned back to normal over the summer, but it is unclear how the second and third lockdowns may have impacted it.


Access to children's and teenage mental health services also saw a dip in referrals and access to treatment over the first lockdown, according to analysis by the Children's Commissioner.

There has been a sharp increase in referrals since then, but the increases have not been matched with similar increases in children actually accessing the services.


Part of these declines could be down to a big decrease in GP appointments or children not being at schools, which are often the referral point for new patients.

How quickly are people getting help?


The NHS has managed to ensure that those people who have been referred for talking therapies have been able to receive the treatment within target.

This means 95% of people are receiving treatment within 18 weeks.

Many mental health services already had the option to do therapy remotely meaning they could adapt quickly and get new patients started.

In the most recent two lockdowns, group therapy has also been considered a "reasonable excuse" to leave the home.

There isn't enough data available to check if targets for access to children's mental health are being met.

Are we seeing increases in suicide?


It's too early to say.

This is because the process for registering these kinds of deaths takes substantially more time than deaths from natural causes.

Early research from the University of Manchester doesn't show any major increases.

However, they say that the longer-term impacts of a future economic downturn could have an impact and that some areas could end up seeing higher figures.

Newsletter

Related Articles

0:00
0:00
Close
Severe Heatwave Claims 2,300 Lives Across Europe
NVIDIA Achieves Historic Milestone as First Company Valued at $4 Trillion
Declining Beer Consumption Signals Cultural Shift in Germany
Linda Yaccarino Steps Down as CEO of X After Two Years
US Imposes New Tariffs on Brazilian Exports Amid Political Tensions
Azerbaijan and Armenia are on the brink of a historic peace deal.
Emails Leaked: How Passenger Luggage Became a Side Income for Airport Workers
Polish MEP: “Dear Leftists - China is laughing at you, Russia is laughing, India is laughing”
BRICS Expands Membership with Indonesia and Ten New Partner Countries
Weinstein Victim’s Lawyer Says MeToo Movement Still Strong
U.S. Enacts Sweeping Tax and Spending Legislation Amid Trade Policy Shifts
Football Mourns as Diogo Jota and Brother André Silva Laid to Rest in Portugal
Labour Expected to Withdraw Support for Special Needs Funding Model
Leaked Audio Reveals Tory Aide Defending DEI Record
Elon Musk Founds a Party Following a Poll on X: "You Wanted It – You Got It!"
London Stock Exchange Faces Historic Low in Initial Public Offerings
A new online platform has emerged in the United Kingdom, specifically targeting Muslim men seeking virgin brides
Trump Celebrates Independence Day with B-2 Flyover and Signs Controversial Legislation
Boris Johnson Urges Conservatives to Ignore Farage
SNP Ordered to Update Single-Sex Space Guidance Within Days
Starmer Set to Reject Calls for Wealth Taxes
Stolen Century-Old Rolls-Royce Recovered After Hotel Theft
Macron Presses Starmer to Recognise Palestinian State
Labour Delayed Palestine Action Ban Over Riot Concerns
Swinney’s Tax Comments ‘Offensive to Scots’, Say Tories
High Street Retailers to Enforce Bans on Serial Shoplifters
Music Banned by Henry VIII to Be Performed After 500 Years
Steve Coogan Says Working Class Is Being ‘Ethnically Cleansed’
Home Office Admits Uncertainty Over Visa Overstayer Numbers
JD Vance Questions Mandelson Over Reform Party’s Rising Popularity
Macron to Receive Windsor Carriage Ride in Royal Gesture
Labour Accused of ‘Hammering’ Scots During First Year in Power
BBC Head of Music Stood Down Amid Bob Vylan Controversy
Corbyn Eyes Hard-Left Challenge to Starmer’s Leadership
London Tube Trains Suspended After Major Fire Erupts Nearby
Richard Kemp: I Felt Safer in Israel Under Attack Than in the UK
Cyclist Says Police Cited Human Rights Act for Riding No-Handed
China’s Central Bank Consults European Peers on Low-Rate Strategies
AI Raises Alarms Over Long-Term Job Security
Saudi Arabia Maintains Ties with Iran Despite Israel Conflict
Musk Battles to Protect Tesla Amid Trump Policy Threats
Air France-KLM Acquires Majority Stake in Scandinavian Airlines
UK Educators Sound Alarm on Declining Child Literacy
Shein Fined €40 Million in France Over Misleading Discounts
Brazil’s Lula Visits Kirchner During Argentina House Arrest
Trump Scores Legislative Win as House Passes Tax Reform Bill
Keir Starmer Faces Criticism After Rocky First Year in Power
DJI Launches Heavy-Duty Coaxial Quadcopter with 80 kg Lift Capacity
U.S. Senate Approves Major Legislation Dubbed the 'Big Beautiful Bill'
Largest Healthcare Fraud Takedown in U.S. History Announced by DOJ
×