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Posted by Aston Avery

Listen: How poor is your mental health?

New research from the Co-op, in partnership with Mind, SAMH (Scottish Association for Mental Health) and Inspire, found that 10.6 million Brits currently describe their mental wellbeing as poor. Over a third of people (37%) agreed they didn’t have the support or tools to deal with the ‘ups and downs of life’ such as stress, pressure or difficult circumstances. 4 in 5 (81%) of these said support in the community such as having spaces to talk, activities and services would help them.

The study also revealed the impact the pandemic has had on the nation’s mental wellbeing. Almost a quarter (24%) of respondents said they became more isolated from their community during the pandemic, resulting in a decline in mental wellbeing for almost two-thirds (61%) of those feeling isolated.

The in-depth research, a combination of qualitative conversation and a survey of 4,500 people, highlights the vital role of community in promoting good mental wellbeing. The Co-op, alongside Mind, SAMH and Inspire are calling on governments across the UK to recognise the importance of community resilience in post-pandemic recovery policy making, and beyond.

Aston spoke to Sophie Corlett from MIND and Helen Carroll, head of strategy and engagement at Co-op.

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