One in five UK adults have had depressive symptoms during pandemic

Experts say many people may not be getting care they need as GP diagnoses of depression fall

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One in five adults in Britain have experienced symptoms of depression during the pandemic, with young people, disabled people and renters hit the hardest, according to official figures.

The figures, based on the ONS's Opinions and Lifestyle survey, show that between January and March 2021, during the second lockdown, 21% of adults experienced some form of depression, an increase from 19% in November 2020 and more than double the figure observed before the pandemic.