Priory's campaign, find your way, discovered that in 2026, there are three key areas that are affecting people's mental health in the UK.
- The cost of living crisis
- Being bombarded by bad news
- Experiencing family pressure
What should I do next?
These test results only offer a suggestion and do not equal a diagnosis. If you feel like your mental health is severely affecting your ability to live a normal life, you should consider reaching out for support.
A good initial step would be for you to speak to your GP about how you’re feeling. They’ll be able to assess your symptoms and provide advice.
Alternatively, you can contact Priory directly for fast access to mental health support and treatment; our highly qualified specialists have extensive experience in diagnosing and treating depression. We can arrange for you to speak to a consultant psychiatrist, if needed, and start depression treatment and therapy with us, which can be scaled up or down, depending on your needs.
Use the information below to contact us today and take your first step towards better mental health.
More helpful information
Videos from our experts
You've taken a positive step by completing our anxiety assessment. To support you further, we’ve curated a selection of videos featuring our mental health experts. These videos, a valuable part of your wellness toolkit, provide practical advice, techniques for managing symptoms, and deeper insights into anxiety.
2026 campaign research: find your way
Use the tabs below to find more key insights into these areas that affect us most.
- Almost 2 in 5 people (39%) say they have felt constantly anxious or overwhelmed in the last 12 months, but this rises to 49% among those who say financial pressures have negatively affected their wellbeing
- 2 in 5 people across the UK (40%) say the cost-of-living crisis or financial pressure has negatively affected their mental wellbeing in the last 12 months
Who is most affected by financial pressure
- The impact is felt more strongly by women, with almost half reporting a negative effect (46% vs. 33% of men)
- Financial pressures affect people across all age groups, but are most pronounced among 45–64-year-olds, where almost half (48%) report a negative impact on their mental wellbeing
- Regions most affected include Northern Ireland (46%), Wales (45%), the North West (45%), and the South East (44%) – with the cities of Southampton (48%), Liverpool (45%), and Manchester (45%) reporting the highest levels of impact
Where people see information about financial pressures
- Those negatively affected by financial pressures most commonly report seeing information on the topic through TV (58%), followed by social media (36%)
- Exposure through TV is more common among older age groups, increasing from 39% of 18–24-year-olds to 76% of over-65s, whereas those under 45 are more likely to encounter information about financial pressures via social media than TV
- More than half (59%) of respondents report that they see content that upsets, worries or scares them at least once a week – with 15% saying they see such content every day
- More than half (52%) say they see upsetting stories and news much more frequently than five years ago, with two in five (40%) saying they find it difficult to avoid seeing upsetting content
The emotional impact of upsetting news
- One in three respondents (33%) say that repeated exposure to upsetting news or content makes them feel depressed or low – with women much more likely to report this (37% vs 26%)
- One in three (33%) say exposure to upsetting content makes them feel anxious or stressed – women are more likely to experience this (38% vs 27%)
- A third of respondents (35%) said the amount of upsetting news and information that they see makes it harder to enjoy life than it used to, with more than two in five (43%) saying they find the world a depressing place.
Avoiding news and changes to daily life
- A quarter of respondents (26%) say they avoid the news due to upsetting content, with one in five (22%) saying that they limit use of social media for the same reason
- One in ten respondents say that the way negative or distressing news makes them feel means they struggle to carry out my normal activities (e.g., school, work, household tasks) and one in five (20%) now stay home more often as a result
- 7% of respondents say they have been signed off from work due to poor mental health, as a result ofhow negative or distressing news makes them feel. This is the equivalent to 5,000,064 people
Family, parenting, and relationship pressures
- 1 in 5 respondents (20%) say family, parenting or relationship pressures have negatively affected their mental wellbeing in the last 12 months
- This is more commonly reported by women than men (25% vs. 15%)
- Rates are highest among 18–24s (29%) and 35–44s (27%)
- The South East and East of England (23%) report the highest levels overall, with particularly high rates in the cities of Bristol and Glasgow (27%), Belfast (26%), and Birmingham (24%)
- Content or information that contributes to these pressures are most commonly shared by family and friends (43%), followed by social media (25%)
- Feelings of persistent anxiety are even more pronounced among those affected by family pressures or concerns about their children’s wellbeing, reported by over half (55%)
Concerns about children’s mental wellbeing
- 14% say worries about their children’s mental health and wellbeing have negatively impacted their mental wellbeing in the last 12 months
- Women are again more likely to report this than men (17% vs. 11%)
- Respondents report most frequently hearing/seeing content or information on this topic from family and friends (36%), followed by social media (25%)
- 36% say they have felt constantly low or depressed over the last year, but this increases to 44% among those affected by financial pressures, and rises further to 49% among those worried about family pressures or their children’s wellbeing
Caring responsibilities
- 11% say caring responsibilities have negatively affected their mental wellbeing
- 7% of respondents say they have been signed off from work due to poor mental health, as a result of how negative or distressing news makes them feel. This is the equivalent to 5,000,064 people
- 5% of respondents report having attended A&E due to poor mental health linked to negative or distressing news and content, equivalent to more than 3 million people across today’s UK population. We also estimate that 9,484,975 people have sought support from their GP for the same issue (13%)
- More than a quarter (27%) have been treated for stress or anxiety in last three years, with a similar proportion (25%) reporting starting treatment for depression
- However, just over a quarter (27%) also said that they needed support for anxiety or depression and haven’t yet received it – with top reasons being that they felt embarrassed or ashamed (23%) or due to the long waiting times for help (21%)
- Priory has seen enquiries for anxiety or depression increase by 68% since 2019 – with a 25% increase in the last 12 months
Take another test
Contact us for help, referrals or more information
At Priory, we want to ensure we provide the very best service to everyone we support. Your feedback is really important to us.