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Major societal events such as the Brexit referendum and COVID-19 lockdowns have contributed to a lasting deterioration in mental health in the U.K., a study led by University College London (UCL) researchers finds.

The BMJ Mental Health paper looked at the mental health impacts of the referendum in 2016, the first and second lockdowns, Russia's invasion of Ukraine and the U.K. government's 2022 "mini-budget."

The researchers identified marked increases in psychological distress in the U.K. after these events, which affected some groups more than others and often worsened existing inequalities. These deteriorations in mental health persisted rather than reversing and contributed to the overall decline in mental health seen across the entire 2009 to 2024 study period.

Lead author Dr. Annie Jeffery (UCL Psychiatry) said, "The nation's mental health has been getting worse in recent years, particularly for young people. There are multiple factors involved in this increase, and here we have found that major societal events have been among the causes of the mental health deterioration.

"The past decade or so has been tumultuous, shaped by multiple overlapping shocks and ongoing uncertainty and instability that have impacted mental health in Britain.

"We have shown that major government decisions and global current events can have substantial impacts on people's mental health."

The researchers looked at longitudinal survey data from 87,857 people who take part in Understanding Society: The UK Household Longitudinal Study.

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