Poor mental health has risen in the UK over the past two decades.
This increase has not been experienced equally across all communities, leading to widening mental health inequalities within and between the four nations.
The four nations have followed strikingly different mental health trends over time.
- In Wales, a post-pandemic spike in poor mental health drove levels much higher than the UK average.
- Northern Ireland recorded the steepest recent rise in poor mental health, reversing a decade of better-than-average population wellbeing.
- England and Scotland have followed similar paths, falling between Wales and Northern Ireland.
Financial hardship is the strongest driver of mental health inequality.
Disparities in mental health between those who are financially comfortable versus those who are struggling have significantly widened. The number of people in the UK experiencing financial insecurity has grown as well.
Age- and gender-related mental health inequalities are growing.
One of the highest areas of risk is around young people, women and mental health disparities. These groups have shown a steep worsening of mental health over the past decade.
On average, mental health is similar in rural and urban areas.
Mental health has worsened at a similar rate in both urban and rural areas. However, each setting has its own profile of risk and protective factors, which require different strategies for improving the structural inequalities mental health link and population mental health.
Decision makers must take action to reverse worrying mental health trends.
Our nation-specific recommendations set out a roadmap for policymakers to improve population mental health and reduce inequalities.
Read the report
Explore our interactive site to discover the key research findings and what they mean for decision-makers.