Mental Health Decline Drives Rise in Deaths and Disability

Mental health in the United Kingdom has worsened significantly since COVID-19 pandemic restrictions were imposed, according to a new report by the Institute for Fiscal Studies (IFS). The study confirmed previous findings, showing a “steady increase in reported mental health problems”.

Eduin Latimer, a research economist at IFS, warned that rising mental health issues not only impact individuals but also contribute to an increase in the cost of paying benefits.

Key Findings

The report highlighted several concerning trends. These include:

• The percentage of working-age people who reported a long-term mental health condition has risen to 13-15%, up from 8%-10% in the mid-2010s.
• ‘Deaths of despair’ – those caused by alcohol, drugs, or suicide – rose by 24% among 15- to 64-year-olds in 2023 compared with pre-pandemic levels. This contributed to a 5.5% rise in overall working-age mortality.
• NHS mental health service contacts increased by 36% between 2019 and 2024.
• Antidepressant prescriptions have risen by 12% since 2019.
• The number of 16- to 64-year-olds in England and Wales on disability benefits has climbed to 2.9 million (7.5% of this age group), a rise of 900,000 since the pandemic. Over half of new claims cite mental health as the primary condition.
• A Department for Work and Pensions survey found that 86% of incapacity and disability benefit claimants have a mental health condition, whether primary or secondary.
• The cost of working-age health-related benefits in 2023–24 reached £48 billion, £12 billion more in real terms than in 2019–20, representing 1.7% of GDP. The Office for Budget Responsibility forecasts this will rise to £67 billion by 2029–30.
• Sickness absence days per worker increased by 37% in 2022 compared with 2019. Public sector workers saw significant rises, including 14% in the NHS.

Rise in Deaths of Despair 

Iain Porter, senior policy adviser at the Joseph Rowntree Foundation, which campaigns to end poverty, said there was “clear evidence of a deterioration in mental health in the population”, and the trend was “real and growing”. While greater openness has helped reduce stigma, the increase in deaths of despair underscores the severe impact of worsening mental health, he added.

Disability benefit claimants report a range of mental health and behavioural conditions, with anxiety, depression, mood disorders, psychotic disorders, learning disabilities, and autism spectrum disorders being the most common. The report noted particularly fast growth in new disability claims for learning disabilities and autism since 2019.

Long Wait Times

Dr Subodh Dave, dean of the Royal College of Psychiatrists, called the report’s findings “worrying yet unsurprising.” He told Medscape News UK that 350,000 people with mental illness have waited more than a year for their first NHS appointment, with some waiting more than 2 years. He noted a 29% increase in the waiting list over the last 2 years – a trend he described as “worrying”.

Mental illnesses can be treated effectively, particularly when they are identified early, Dave stressed. However, delays increase the risk of more complex conditions that can harm long-term health and prevent people leading fulfilling lives.

Patients Struggle to Access Care

Dave highlighted the well-known challenges facing NHS mental health services. “Community provision isn’t meeting patients’ needs, adult acute bed occupancy has remained above 95% since May 2022, and patients face unacceptable waits,” he said. “This is hurting individuals and the economy.”

Saffron Cordery, interim chief executive of NHS Providers, warned that demand for mental health services has surged. Referrals reached “a record high” of two million in December 2024 and were 39% higher than before the pandemic. “The knock-on effects of this are worrying and far-reaching, with poor mental health the leading driver of ill-health related economic inactivity,” she said in a press release.

Mental health charities are also struggling to meet demand. Dr Jaime Craig, a consultant clinical psychologist and director of policy and governance at the Association of Clinical Psychologists, told Medscape News UK that since the pandemic, those at the front lines of healthcare, particularly GPs, have seen an increasing number of patients with poor mental health. This was accompanied by a rise in the number of patients with complex combinations of psychological and physical health difficulties. 

For both groups there can be limited options to help them access effective specialist support. The ACP’s recent work on the lack of appropriate mental health support for immunocompromised people and their families is a good example of the growing need for specialist clinical health psychology support, and the impact of this being unavailable, he said. 

Craig also warned that healthcare workers are often left advising patients with few available options. “Those on the frontline of healthcare can be placed in the unenviable position of having little to help them advise their patients,” he said. They may also struggle to guide patients on how to safely navigate unregulated therapy services outside the NHS.

The report was funded by the Joseph Rowntree Foundation and the Health Foundation. 

Craig declared no conflicts of interest. 

Dr Sheena Meredith is an established medical writer, editor, and consultant in healthcare communications, with extensive experience writing for medical professionals and the general public. She is qualified in medicine and in law and medical ethics.