The lockdown generation gap

The old and young are finding different challenges in the coronavirus outbreak

LOCKDOWN has felt much harder for younger people, but they’re the most optimistic it will be over soon.

A large majority of 16 to 29-yearolds have said their wellbeing has been impacted by feeling stressed or anxious (72%) or bored (76%), and many have been feeling lonely (51%).

Two in five (42%) say the impact of coronavirus is making their mental health worse, according to those surveyed by the Office for National Statistics between April 3 and May 10.

In comparison, those aged 60 and over are less likely to feel stressed or anxious (54%), bored (43%), or lonely (26%) and just 15% said their mental health was worse.

Wellbeing was one of the biggest worries for young people, along with education, work and finances.

Dawn Snape, Assistant Director of Sustainability and Inequalities Division, ONS, said: “Younger people were generally more optimistic about lockdown, with more than half expecting life to return to normal within 6 months.

“One of their biggest worries was the impact on schools and universities, in particular being unable to attend them, the quality of their education and uncertainty around exams.

“While they were more optimistic, young people were much more likely to report being bored and lonely during the lockdown period, and 42% of them reported that it was making their mental health worse.

“They turned to TV, friends and family and exercise to help them cope during this time.”

Young people are also worrying about the impact on relationships they’re much more likely to be worried about relationships with friends than those aged 30 to 59 (60% and 34% respectively) and with their grandparents (36% and 13% respectively).

The ONS suggests this may be because friends include girlfriends and boyfriends, who young people are less likely to live with, so may have been unable to see during lockdown, while their grandparents are more likely to be in vulnerable and shielding groups.

Older people are also worried about their wellbeing, but less worried about their finances possibly because they are more likely to be on fixed incomes.

The ability to make plans (65% were worried in general and 53% about personal travel plans such as holidays) or access essentials (48%, compared to 28% of 16 to 29-yearolds) are a bigger concern, particularly as they expect to be in this situation for longer.

Sarah Crofts, Head of Ageing in the ONS Centre for Ageing and Demography, said: “Older people are experiencing some aspects of the lockdown situation differently from younger people, worrying less about finances but worrying more about access to essentials.

“Keeping in touch with friends and family remotely and doing activities such as gardening and reading are helping them cope.

“They are more likely to be looking out for their neighbours and feel supported by their local communities.

“Interestingly, people in their 60s are the least optimistic about when life will return to normal, with more than a quarter thinking it will take at least a year or will never return to normal.”