‘Missing out on life’

More than half of young people in the North East say their mental health has worsened since the start of the pandemic, a new report has warned.

The Prince’s Trust report shows 53 per cent of 16 to 25-year-olds say they “always” or “often” feel anxious, 72 per cent feel like they are “missing out on being young”, and 23 per cent admit feeling “unable to cope with life” since the pandemic started.

The Prince’s Trust Tesco Youth Index gauged young people’s happiness and confidence across a range of areas, from their working life to their physical and mental health.

The research suggests young people not in education, employment or training are even more likely to feel “unable to cope with life” and more likely to be experiencing anxiety.