Author
Summary
The COVID-19 pandemic and the social distancing restrictions resulting from it have taken a huge toll on people’s wellbeing and mental health. We can expect significant pressures and demand for mental health services in Wales over coming years. This will be a crucial public health challenge for the Welsh Government as mental health is a key determinant of educational success, future earnings, employment, and physical health of an individual. This paper intends to quantify the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic, lockdowns and social restrictions on mental health outcomes using the UK household Longitudinal Study (UKHLS), covering the pre-COVID-19 pandemic period (2009-2019) and during-COVID-19 pandemic (April 2020 to March 2021).