Coronavirus: People ‘beginning to suffer’ under lockdown, survey suggests

‘It’s incredibly concerning that half of people say they are feeling more anxious or depressed.’ says organisation behind survey

Calls to domestic abuse helplines have rocketed during the UK's lockdown (Getty)

People are beginning to struggle under the conditions imposed by the national lockdown, new research has found.

A study involving 2,250 Britons conducted by King’s College London in partnership with Ipsos Mori between 1 April 3 April found that many people are experiencing difficulty sleeping and eating normally.

Out of those surveyed, more than a third (38 per cent) said they were sleeping less or worse than normal while 35 per cent said they were either eating more food or less healthy food than before.

Meanwhile, one in five (19 per cent) said they were drinking more alcohol than normal and a further 19 per cent reported arguing with their family or housemate more than normal.

As for how such lifestyle changes are impacting people, half (49 per cent) said they felt more anxious or depressed than normal while one in five (22 per cent) said they cannot afford to pay for key items.

In spite of these figures, 89 per cent of those surveyed said they supported the need for a national lockdown in order to combat the coronavirus outbreak.

The lockdown began in the UK on 23 March and requires Britons to stay home unless they are key workers, need medical or food supplies, or are exercising, which they are permitted to do once a day.

Kelly Beaver, managing director of public affairs at Ipsos Mori, said: “It’s becoming clear that people are beginning to suffer due to the restrictions stemming from the Covid-19 outbreak.

“It’s incredibly concerning that half of people say they are feeling more anxious or depressed.”

Beaver added that while the survey shows there is “broad support” for the lockdown, confusion remains surrounding some of the government policies, so there is a real need for clear communication.

Professor Bobby Duffy, director of the Policy Institute at King’s College London, added: “People have generally got the message about how serious the threat from the virus is, and the importance of the measures being required of them.”