Coronavirus (COVID-19): impact on wellbeing - research

Key findings

The overall trends from the report are summarised below. Key differences across subgroups are also included as it is important to recognise that experiences during the pandemic have not been uniform, with some groups more affected than others.

Changes in circumstances

The majority of respondents had experienced some changes in their employment, most commonly moving to working from home (32%) or being furloughed (26%), whilst 39% of respondents were key workers. Although the majority of respondents had not experienced any change in their income level, a third (32%) had a lower income than before the pandemic. To accommodate this, most (55%) had cut back on non-essential spending.

The vast majority (90%) had not experienced difficulties accessing necessary food and medicine. Of those who had, this was most commonly because things were not available (45%). The vast majority had not experienced any issues paying energy bills (95%) or other bills (92%) or collecting their benefits and pensions (98%). Almost all (97%) had not experienced any changes in their living situation, nor had they, or anyone in their household, become infected with COVID-19 (91%).

Wellbeing

The majority of respondents (61%) felt happy (a score of 7-10) and only 15% felt low levels of happiness (0-4 score). However, compared with the pre-COVID benchmark, there appears to have been a reduction in the proportion who feel 'very high' happiness (16% compared with 35%) and a corresponding increase in each of the lower groups. The majority (87%) of those left in the highest group (9-10 score) felt 'about the same' level of happiness as before the pandemic. Those scoring their happiness at a lower level were also more likely to say that they felt less happy than previously, with 75% of those in the 'very low' (0-1 score) group feeling less happy than they did in March.

A similar pattern was evident for levels of anxiety, although with smaller changes compared with the benchmark: 29% felt highly anxious and 31% felt very low anxiety, compared with 20% and 31% respectively at the benchmark. Those who were highly anxious (6-10 score) were most likely to say they felt more anxious than previously (65% felt a little/lot more anxious). However a quarter in this group felt about the same as previously. A substantial minority (40%) had felt lonely in the last week, which appears to be higher than the pre-COVID benchmark (21%).

Respondents appeared to be more concerned about the health and wellbeing of their friends and family members than their own; the most common worry was friends/family becoming ill with COVID-19 (75%), followed by friend/family member's mental health (41%). Those who were highly anxious were more likely to be concerned about their own and other's mental health.

Coping activities

On balance, respondents were more likely to be phoning/video calling (75%), consuming news (58%) watching television (55%) and gardening (44%) than they were in March before lockdown period began. A minority were eating (43%), drinking alcohol (23%) and smoking (9%) more than previously, however substantial minorities were also exercising more both inside (30%) and outdoors (39%).

Neighbourhood perception and support

The vast majority of respondents (81%) agreed that they could turn to someone in their neighbourhood for help, and that people in their neighbourhood could be trusted (81%). Those in rural areas were more likely to agree with both statements. The majority of respondents had received support in some form and did not need anything further, and most commonly this was people checking in on others (63%).

Summary of subgroup differences

Analysis of subgroups demonstrated the different responses amongst particular groups of the population, with some experiencing higher levels of hardship and instability as a result of the pandemic. The broad trends are described below, with further detail available in the relevant sections.

Gender

Men were more likely than women to:

• have been furloughed and be worried about their financial situation or job

Women were more likely than men to:

• be working more hours than usual
• have cut back on essential items such as food, and stopped mortgage or rent payments to manage a lower income
• be feeling more anxious and less happy than on a typical day before March
• be worried about their mental health, a friend or family member's mental health, lack of contact with friends and family, their children's learning and education
• be finding restrictions difficult to cope with and be sleeping badly

Age

Compared with those in older age groups, those in younger age groups were more likely to:

• have a lower income, have been furloughed, taken paid leave or applied for universal credit
• be experiencing difficulties getting the food or medicine they need, paying bills and their rent or mortgage
• be less happy, more anxious and lonely
• be worried about friends or family becoming seriously ill with COVID-19, their own mental health and their financial situation / losing their job
• be finding the current restrictions on socialising difficult to cope with, having more arguments with people they live with and not having enough space in their home

Households with children

Respondents with children in their household were more likely than those without to:

• have had difficulties paying their bills and rent/mortgage
• have a lower income than usual
• be worried about their financial situation and their own and others mental health, not have enough space in their home and be arguing more with their household
• be enjoying spending time with their family
• have not experienced loneliness in the last week.

SIMD quintile^[3]

In general, those in more deprived SIMD quintiles were more likely than those in less deprived to:

• have lost their job or been made redundant, and have applied for universal credit
• be less happy, more anxious and lonely
• be worried about their mental health and not have enough space in their home
• have received support from care workers or a charity

Whilst those in less deprived SIMD quintiles, were more likely than those in more deprived to:

• be worried about the economic impact of coronavirus
• have access to a private garden
• have the same level of income as before the pandemic
• agree that they could rely in someone in their neighbourhood for help, and that people can be trusted in their neighbourhood

Disability

Disabled respondents were more likely than non-disabled respondents to:

• have had difficulties getting food or medicine, paying bills and collecting pensions or benefits
• report feeling more anxious, less happy, be worried about becoming seriously ill with COVID-19 and their own mental health
• be feeling lonely, finding current restrictions on socialising difficult to cope with and having less of a sense of purpose
• be sleeping badly, eating less and not having enough space in their home
• be more likely to say they need help to get shopping or medicine, financial advice or help with their mental health

Area type

Those in rural areas were more likely to agree that they could turn to someone in their neighbourhood for help and that their areas was one where people could be trusted.