Skip to content
Search

Latest Stories

Poor mental health among UK's youngsters affecting their education, career

A total of 41 per cent young women are more likely to experience poor mental health compared to their male counterparts with 26 per cent, says the study

Poor mental health among UK's youngsters affecting their education, career

A recent findings from the Resolution Foundation highlight a significant shift in the landscape of workforce health in the UK. The report underscores a concerning surge in poor mental health among young people, adversely affecting their educational attainment and employment opportunities.

Official figures reveal a notable uptick in mental health issues among the younger demographic, with adverse consequences for their education and subsequent career paths.


In 2023, 5 per cent of young people, aged 18 to 24, were economically inactive due to ill health, representing a substantial portion of this age group facing challenges in the workforce. Contrary to trends observed two decades ago, the report establishes that young people currently exhibit the poorest mental health compared to other age groups.

In 2021/22, a staggering 34 per cent of individuals aged 18 to 24 reported symptoms of mental disorders such as depression, anxiety, or bipolar disorder. This marks a notable increase from the 24 per cent reported in 2000.

The economic ramifications of this mental health crisis are particularly pronounced for young individuals without a university education. A concerning one in three young non-graduates with common mental disorders is currently without work, emphasizing the intricate link between mental health and economic outcomes.

"Attention had more often been on mental health in higher education, but what should most worry us is when poor mental health comes together with poor education outcomes," said Louise Murphy, senior economist at the Resolution Foundation

The gender disparity in mental health outcomes is noteworthy, with young women being one-and-a-half times a 41 per cent more likely to experience poor mental health compared to their male counterparts of 26 per cent.

The research indicates that a significant 79 per cent of 18 to 24-year-olds who are 'workless' due to ill health have qualifications at GCSE level or below. This stands in stark contrast to the overall figure for the same age group, where only 34 per cent fall into this category.

The correlation between educational attainment and mental health challenges emphasizes the importance of holistic support systems for young individuals.

The study further unveils the far-reaching impact of poor mental health on academic performance. Children aged 11 to 14 experiencing mental health issues are three times more likely to fail to achieve five GCSEs, including English and Maths, compared to their mentally healthy peers.

In response to these findings, the Resolution Foundation, an advocate for improved living standards for those on low and middle incomes, calls for enhanced mental health support in colleges and sixth forms.

Additionally, the foundation advocates for comprehensive efforts to prevent young people from leaving compulsory education with low qualification levels, addressing the root causes of the issue.

Jo Bibby, the director of the Health Foundation, said "building blocks of health are things like good employment and education and cross-government action was needed to stop the creation of a lost generation due to poor mental health."

While the study relies on data from the Labour Force Survey, discontinued by the Office for National Statistics due to declining participation, the Health Foundation maintains the accuracy of its analysis.

This research underscores the urgency of prioritizing mental health support and educational interventions to safeguard the well-being and future prospects of the younger generation in the UK. (With inputs from BBC)

More For You

London Jains honour teens for completing Athai Tap fast

The young tapasvis seated during the community celebration

London Jains honour teens for completing Athai Tap fast

THE Jain community in London came together for a historic celebration, honouring five teenagers who successfully completed the eight-day Athai Tap fast, one of the most respected spiritual practices in Jainism.

The children – Moksh Shah, Labdhi Mehta, Mithil Shah, Svara Gandhi, and Dylan Shah – each from different families, were recognised for their discipline, devotion, and inner strength. Athai Tap involves abstaining from food for eight continuous days, a test of both body and spirit, undertaken as a way of seeking spiritual progress and self-control, according to a statement.

Keep ReadingShow less
Edward Enninful warns fashion is sliding into anti-diversity as ‘being super-thin is the norm’

Enninful also gave his view on a recent American Eagle campaign featuring actress Sydney Sweeney

Getty Images

Edward Enninful warns fashion is sliding into anti-diversity as ‘being super-thin is the norm’

Highlights:

  • Former British Vogue editor-in-chief Edward Enninful says “anti-woke” rhetoric is influencing fashion.
  • He warns the industry is reverting to European and super-thin beauty standards.
  • Enninful has launched a new inclusive media venture, EE72, with Julia Roberts on its debut cover.
  • He dismisses rumours of a fallout with Anna Wintour, saying she supported his departure from Vogue.
  • He also commented on recent advertising controversies, including Sydney Sweeney’s American Eagle campaign.

Fashion industry ‘in flux’

Edward Enninful, the former editor-in-chief of British Vogue, has warned that fashion risks going backwards on diversity, with super-thin and European looks once again dominating as the beauty norm.

Speaking on BBC Radio 4’s Radical with Amol Rajan during London Fashion Week, he said that “anti-woke” and anti-diversity sentiment was “having a moment.”

Keep ReadingShow less
menstruation

The findings come from a UK survey of more than 12,000 women

iStock

Heavier bleeding and iron loss linked to long Covid in women, study finds

Highlights:

  • Survey of more than 12,000 UK women finds heavier, longer periods linked to long Covid
  • Symptom severity rises and falls across the menstrual cycle, worsening during periods
  • Tests reveal inflammation in womb lining and hormonal changes, but no damage to ovaries
  • Iron deficiency risk may exacerbate fatigue, dizziness and other common long Covid symptoms

Study highlights link between long Covid and menstrual changes

Women with long Covid are more likely to experience longer and heavier periods, putting them at increased risk of iron deficiency, researchers have found. The findings come from a UK survey of more than 12,000 women, which also showed that the severity of long Covid symptoms fluctuated across the menstrual cycle and often worsened during menstruation.

Findings from UK survey

Between March and May 2021, 12,187 women completed an online survey. Of these, more than 1,000 had long Covid, over 1,700 had recovered from the virus, and 9,400 had never tested positive. The study revealed that women with long Covid reported heavier and longer periods, as well as more frequent bleeding between cycles, compared with other groups.

Keep ReadingShow less
World Curry Festival 2025

The discovery coincides with Bradford’s City of Culture celebrations

World Curry Festival

Bradford’s first curry house traced back to 1942 ahead of World Curry Festival

Highlights:

  • Research for the World Curry Festival uncovered evidence of a curry house in Bradford in 1942.
  • Cafe Nasim, later called The Bengal Restaurant, is thought to be the city’s first.
  • The discovery coincides with Bradford’s City of Culture celebrations.
  • Festival events will include theatre, lectures, and a street food market.

Historic discovery in Bradford’s food heritage

Bradford’s claim as the curry capital of Britain has gained new historical depth. Organisers of the World Curry Festival have uncovered evidence that the city’s first curry house opened in 1942.

Documents revealed that Cafe Nasim, later renamed The Bengal Restaurant, once stood on the site of the current Kashmir Restaurant on Morley Street. Researcher David Pendleton identified an advert for the cafe in the Yorkshire Observer dated December 1942, describing it as “Bradford’s First Indian Restaurant”.

Keep ReadingShow less
​Dilemmas of dating in a digital world

We are living faster than ever before

AMG

​Dilemmas of dating in a digital world

Shiveena Haque

Finding romance today feels like trying to align stars in a night sky that refuses to stay still

When was the last time you stumbled into a conversation that made your heart skip? Or exchanged a sweet beginning to a love story - organically, without the buffer of screens, swipes, or curated profiles? In 2025, those moments feel rarer, swallowed up by the quickening pace of life.

Keep ReadingShow less