Post-Pandemic Mental Health: 5 Years On, How Has the UK Changed?

In March 2020, life stopped. Lockdown began. Supermarket shelves emptied. We learned terms like "social distancing," "R rate," and "flatten the curve."

Nobody knew how long it would last. Two weeks? Two months?

Five years later, in late 2024, COVID-19 feels like history—yet its mental health legacy endures, woven into the fabric of how we work, connect, seek help, and understand wellbeing.

Some changes are obvious: Zoom therapy is mainstream, mental health conversations more open, awareness higher. Others are subtler: lingering anxiety about illness, altered risk perceptions, fractured trust in institutions.

This article examines how the pandemic fundamentally reshaped UK mental health—the good, the bad, and the complex.

TL;DR:

• Mental health problems increased 25-30% during pandemic; many symptoms persist
• Anxiety and depression rates remain elevated, especially in young people
• Therapy demand surged 60%; waiting lists still strained
• Reduced stigma: mental health conversations normalised
• Online therapy became mainstream (50% of private therapy now remote)
• Long COVID affects 2 million+ in UK, including mental health symptoms
• Health anxiety and illness-related distress increased significantly
• Workplace mental health awareness improved, but burnout worsened
• Positive shifts: flexibility normalised, therapy accessibility improved

The Mental Health Toll: By The Numbers

Prevalence Changes

Office for National Statistics (2024) data:

Condition	Pre-Pandemic (2019)	Peak Pandemic (2020-21)	Current (2024)	Net Change
Anxiety disorders	5.9%	8.1%	7.3%	+24% from baseline
Depression	3.3%	4.5%	4.1%	+24% from baseline
PTSD	4.6%	6.2%	5.8%	+26% from baseline
Health anxiety	2.1%	5.4%	3.9%	+86% from baseline

Key insight: Mental health problems spiked during the pandemic and have only partially receded. We're not "back to normal"—we're in a new elevated baseline.

Who's Been Hit Hardest?

By age group:

Young people (16-24):

• Depression rates: 10.2% in 2019 → 17.4% in 2024 (+72%)
• Most affected by education disruption, social isolation, economic uncertainty
• NHS child and adolescent mental health services (CAMHS) referrals up 85% since 2019

Working-age adults (25-54):

• Anxiety rates: 6.1% in 2019 → 8.9% in 2024 (+46%)
• Job insecurity, caregiving pressures, financial stress

Older adults (65+):

• Smaller increases overall but significant loneliness impact
• Shielding isolation had lasting effects on social confidence

By demographic:

• Women: Experienced greater increases in anxiety/depression (possibly due to caregiving burden, domestic violence increases during lockdowns)
• BAME communities: Disproportionate COVID deaths, discrimination, economic impacts
• Low-income households: Financial strain, insecure housing, digital exclusion
• Disabled people: Shielding isolation, reduced care access, ableism during "triage" discussions

Lasting Psychological Impacts: What Stayed With Us

1. Pervasive Anxiety and Hypervigilance

Many people report lingering pandemic-related anxiety:

• Fear of crowded spaces (agoraphobia symptoms)
• Health anxiety (hypervigilance about symptoms, illness catastrophising)
• Contamination fears (excessive handwashing, avoidance of surfaces)
• Difficulty with physical closeness

"I still feel a jolt of panic in crowded trains," shares Emma, 32, London. "Logically, I know the risk is low now. But my nervous system hasn't caught up. Crowded spaces trigger fight-or-flight responses that didn't exist before March 2020."

Clinical perspective: Dr. James McConnell, clinical psychologist: "The pandemic was a collective trauma. For many, hypervigilance became adaptive—it kept you safe. Now, even though the threat has diminished, those threat responses persist. It's classic post-traumatic stress."

2. Grief and Loss

Over 230,000 people in the UK died from COVID-19. Many more died from other causes during lockdowns, often alone, with restricted funerals.

Complicated grief factors:

• Inability to say goodbye (hospital restrictions)
• Traumatic deaths (loved ones dying alone, on ventilators)
• Delayed or restricted funerals
• Disenfranchised grief (miscarriage, pet loss during isolation)
• Multiple losses (some families lost several members)

"My father died in April 2020," recalls Priya, 45. "I couldn't be with him. The funeral was ten people. No proper grieving process. Five years later, I'm still processing that loss. It feels frozen in time."

3. Social Anxiety and Recalibration

After months of isolation, social re-engagement felt—and for some, still feels—overwhelming.

Post-lockdown social challenges:

• Social skills "rustiness" (especially for young people who missed key developmental periods)
• Preference for solitude after forced isolation (some discovered they enjoyed alone time)
• Anxiety about re-entering social situations
• Changed social norms (uncertainty about handshakes, hugs, physical closeness)

"Social fitness" recovery: Like physical fitness after injury, social confidence required gradual rebuilding. For some, this process is ongoing.

4. Relationship Shifts

Lockdowns intensified relationships—for better or worse.

Divorces and separations: UK divorce rates increased 25% in 2021-2022. Couples who might have "rubbed along" pre-pandemic found constant proximity unsustainable.

Strengthened relationships: Conversely, some couples reported deeper connection, enforced quality time, and renewed appreciation.

Family estrangements: Political polarisation around COVID measures (vaccines, masks, lockdowns) fractured relationships, some irreparably.

5. Work and Burnout

The "Great Resignation" (2021-2022) reflected pandemic-induced re-evaluation: life's short, is this job worth it?

Yet workplace mental health hasn't improved. Burnout rates remain high, particularly in healthcare, education, and public services that never recovered from pandemic strain.

Hybrid work tensions: Whilst flexibility benefits some, others experience boundary erosion (work invading home), isolation, or pressure to be constantly available.

Positive Shifts: What the Pandemic Improved

Not everything about the pandemic's mental health impact was negative.

1. Normalisation of Mental Health Conversations

Pre-pandemic, admitting to anxiety or depression often felt shameful. The pandemic's collective mental health struggle reduced stigma.

Evidence:

• 73% of UK adults say they're more comfortable discussing mental health now than in 2019 (Mind, 2024)
• Celebrities, politicians, and public figures openly shared pandemic mental health struggles
• Workplace mental health initiatives increased 340%

Why it happened: When everyone was struggling—from the Queen addressing the nation about uncertainty to NHS workers weeping on news broadcasts—mental distress became undeniably universal, not individual weakness.

2. Online Therapy Explosion

Pre-pandemic, online therapy was niche. Lockdowns necessitated rapid adoption.

Growth:

• 50% of private therapy now conducted remotely (vs <10% in 2019)
• NHS Talking Therapies integrated online delivery
• Therapy apps (BetterHelp, Talkspace, etc.) gained millions of users

Benefits:

• Accessibility (geographic barriers removed)
• Convenience (no travel, easier to fit into schedules)
• Anonymity (appealing for stigma-sensitive issues)

Lasting change: Even as in-person options resumed, many clients prefer remote therapy. It's now standard practice, not emergency measure.

3. Workplace Flexibility

The shift to remote/hybrid work demonstrated flexibility is possible. Whilst implementation varies, the principle is established.

Mental health benefits:

• Reduced commute stress
• Better work-life balance (for some)
• Accommodations for parents, caregivers, people with disabilities

Caveats: Not all industries can offer flexibility, creating new inequalities. Some workers feel isolated or struggle with boundaries.

4. Investment in Mental Health Services

Government funding for mental health increased (though critics argue it's insufficient):

• £500 million mental health recovery package (2021)
• Expansion of NHS Talking Therapies
• Mental health support teams in schools

Impact: Waiting lists remain long, but capacity increased. Awareness at policy level is higher.

5. Community Solidarity

Mutual aid groups, volunteer networks, and neighbourhood support flourished during lockdowns. Some dissolved post-pandemic; others endured, creating lasting community resilience.

Long COVID's Mental Health Dimension

Long COVID—persistent symptoms following COVID infection—affects an estimated 2 million people in the UK.

Mental health components:

• Direct neuropsychiatric effects: Brain fog, depression, anxiety (potentially from viral neuroinflammation)
• Psychological impact: Chronic illness adjustment, uncertainty, loss of function, medical gaslighting (when symptoms aren't believed)
• Intersection with ME/CFS: Long COVID shares symptoms with Myalgic Encephalomyelitis/Chronic Fatigue Syndrome, historically dismissed or psychologised

Challenges:

• Limited treatment options
• Inconsistent medical recognition
• Social isolation (inability to work, socialise)
• Financial stress (reduced work capacity)

"Long COVID stole my life," says Marcus, 38. "I went from running marathons to struggling to climb stairs. The physical symptoms are bad enough, but the mental health impact—the grief for who I was, the uncertainty about whether I'll recover—that's equally debilitating."

The System Strain: NHS and Service Pressures

The pandemic didn't just worsen mental health—it also strained the system meant to treat it.

NHS mental health services:

• Waiting lists lengthened (average 8-12 weeks, up to 18 months in some areas for specialist services)
• Workforce burnout and attrition
• Increased demand (60% rise in referrals)

Result: Growing gap between need and capacity. Private therapy boomed (for those who can afford it), widening inequalities.

Staff mental health crisis: Healthcare workers experienced trauma, moral injury (impossible choices about care), and burnout. Many left the profession.

A 2024 BMA survey found 78% of doctors report burnout symptoms, with pandemic trauma cited as a primary factor.

Generational Impacts: Young People's Pandemic

The pandemic hit young people—especially adolescents—during critical developmental windows.

Educational disruption:

• School closures disrupted learning, social development, and crucial life transitions (GCSEs, A-levels, university)
• Widened educational inequalities (digital access, home learning support)

Social impacts:

• Isolation during formative social periods
• Loss of rites of passage (proms, graduations, gap years)
• Increased screen time and social media exposure

Mental health consequences:

• Anxiety and depression rates in 11-16 year-olds doubled (NHS Digital, 2024)
• Self-harm and eating disorders increased significantly
• CAMHS referrals overwhelmed services

Long-term concerns: Will this generation experience lasting mental health effects? Early indicators suggest yes, but the full picture will emerge over coming decades.

The Equity Lens: Who Was Left Behind?

The pandemic widened mental health inequalities:

Socioeconomic disparities:

• Low-income households experienced higher COVID mortality, job loss, housing insecurity
• Limited access to therapy (private therapy unaffordable; NHS waiting lists long)
• Digital exclusion from online support

Racial inequalities:

• BAME communities faced disproportionate COVID deaths, economic impacts, discrimination
• Under-representation in mental health services persisted

Disability:

• Shielding isolation
• Reduced access to care (appointments cancelled, care workers unavailable)
• Ableist rhetoric ("only vulnerable people die") caused psychological harm

Domestic abuse survivors:

• Lockdowns trapped victims with abusers
• Services disrupted or overwhelmed
• Mental health impacts persist

What We've Learned (Or Should Have)

1. Mental Health Is Public Health

The pandemic demonstrated that mental health isn't separate from physical health—they're intertwined. Addressing population mental health requires public health approaches, not just individual treatment.

2. Prevention Matters

We can't therapy our way out of a mental health crisis created by systemic factors (economic insecurity, inadequate healthcare, social inequality). Prevention requires addressing social determinants of mental health.

3. Flexibility and Accessibility Work

Online therapy, flexible working, digital tools—these innovations improved access. Maintaining and expanding them is essential.

4. We Need Resilient Systems

The pandemic exposed how fragile our mental health services were. Building resilience requires sustained investment, workforce support, and capacity that can flex during crises.

5. Community Matters

Mutual aid, community connection, and social support were protective factors during lockdowns. Fostering community resilience strengthens population mental health.

Looking Forward: Where Do We Go From Here?

Five years on, we're at a crossroads.

Option 1: Regression We declare the pandemic "over," cut mental health funding, return to stigma and inaccessibility, and lose the progress made.

Option 2: Consolidation We maintain gains (online therapy, reduced stigma, workplace flexibility) but don't address systemic causes of mental health crisis.

Option 3: Transformation We use pandemic lessons to fundamentally reimagine mental health support—preventative, accessible, equitable, adequately funded.

Which path we take depends on political will, resource allocation, and sustained public pressure.

FAQs

Is it normal to still feel pandemic anxiety? Yes. Collective trauma has lasting effects. If anxiety significantly impairs your life, consider seeking support.

Has therapy become easier to access post-pandemic? Mixed. Online options increased, but NHS waiting lists remain long. Private therapy is more accessible if you can afford it.

Will young people who experienced pandemic isolation recover? Many will, especially with support. Some may experience lasting effects. Long-term research is ongoing.

Is Long COVID psychological or physical? It's both—and the distinction isn't always helpful. Physical symptoms are real; they also have psychological impacts. Both require treatment and support.

Should I still be worried about COVID? Risk assessment is personal. If worry significantly impairs your life, therapy can help process health anxiety whilst maintaining reasonable precautions.

Conclusion: The Pandemic We're Still Living Through

The acute phase ended. Restrictions lifted. Life resumed—kind of.

But the mental health pandemic continues. In overwhelmed NHS services, in young people's anxiety, in bereaved families' complicated grief, in healthcare workers' burnout.

We learned that mental health is fragile and essential. That connection matters. That systems can change rapidly when necessary.

The question is: will we use these lessons to build something better, or will we let them fade as the pandemic recedes in memory?

Five years on, that choice is still ours to make.

Support for Post-Pandemic Mental Health

If you're struggling with pandemic-related anxiety, grief, health anxiety, or simply navigating life in this strange post-pandemic world, therapy can help.

At Kicks Therapy, we offer compassionate, trauma-informed counselling for pandemic-related distress, available in-person in Fulham or online throughout the UK.

Book a free 15-minute consultation to discuss how therapy can support your post-pandemic mental health journey.

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Kicks Therapy is a BACP-registered counselling service offering support for anxiety, grief, trauma, and pandemic-related mental health challenges. We provide integrative humanistic therapy tailored to your needs.